She is Brighter
by Xpages-written-in-the-starsX
Summary: "What do you want me to do?" "The Bite. Please, mom! I know what might happen, but please!" He fell to his knees, "I love her. I love her so much." Emily Argent is sixteen years old, forced to live with her older sister. The only Argent to refuse to Hunt; for her boyfriend. 16-year-old Derek Hale. After being assaulted near death, there's only one way to save her. The Bite.
1. Chapter 1

"Tell me a story," She asked suddenly, "I'm trying to sleep." He smirked at the sound of her voice; the sleepy, pleading sound. Emily was half asleep, talking to him on the phone. He thought about her when he was coming up with a fairytale euphuism for her.

"There was a girl that always wore a red hoodie. Everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood. She was so beautiful, all kinds of men wanted her. Even the wolves. One day, Little Red was running away from an evil hunter when she ran into the big bad wolf. The second he saw her, he wanted to protect her. What the wolf didn't expect was for her to protect him from the hunter. He was lucky enough to keep her. The Big Bad Wolf taught her how to defend herself while she taught him French. He hated to be touched, that at first her wolf wouldn't let her touch him." He whispered. Her breath caught when she realized this was about them.

"But Red was stubborn," Her werewolf boyfriend continued on the other end of the line, "She kept trying. He almost hurt her a few times, which scared the hell out of him. Wolf would've let her go if she asked. She didn't. Red stayed by his side."

"Red loves her wolf very, very much." She said into the phone when he paused.

"He knows that now." He replied, "But it took a year for the big bad wolf to let her touch him. And when he did, he realized he never should've waited. Because Red was more gentle than he thought he deserved."

"I love you, Derek Hale." She cut off the story before he could finish, "Screw telling me a story, I just want you to stay on the phone with me until we're both asleep."

"I love you, Emily Argent. Put me on speaker so I can hear your heartbeat." He murmured. She giggled, but listened. When the sound of her heart entered his ears, he smiled. Best sound in the world. They didn't speak for the rest of the night. Emily'd set her phone on the empty pillow beside her, imagining him laying with her. She missed sleeping next to him, but ever since her sister found out—it was for his safety. This little phone was a prepaid disposable, making it impossible for them to track. After he heard her snoring, seconds before he drifted off he closed his. This was nightly for them. Speaking on the phone all hours into the night. God, her older sister was a bitch. Her guardian, and the leader of the Hunters in Beacon Hills. For three months, this was their only contact besides sneaking into Coaches' office occasionally at school to physically feel eachother. That happened only once.

The next morning, as she was getting dressed, the older Argent came into the room, watching her curl her sandy blonde hair and pull it over one shoulder to pin it with little silver pins Chris gave her for her birthday.

"What the hell do you want, Kate?" She asked, tiredly. Her gray eyes fixed on the woman in the mirror with a sigh. She pulled the leather tighter around her body, adjusting her shirt carefully. Kate and Emily were similar in looks, but were polar opposites. She'd refused to learn how to hunt when she was eleven. Gerard beat the hell out of her for it, and sent her to live with her sister. Maybe Kate could convince her. All that did was put Derek in her life three years later; five months after Paige's death. As he'd said in his Red-Riding-Hood retell of them, she'd been in a fight with Kate and ran away from the house. Being the clumsy human she was, the Argent had tripped in the middle of the woods and Derek over her. Sure, she'd seen him at school, but he was shifted when they'd met in the woods. He helped her to her feet, saw her scraped up knuckles and busted lip. She'd shivered when he set the pad of his thumb against her bottom lip and took some of the pain from it, raising her hand to his lips and kissing the back. Emily pushed him to hide in the underbrush beside her as Kate rounded the corner.

After that, there was no-one else for Derek. After that, no-one else existed. Just her. And just him.

"I know you're still seeing him, and I want to know his name."

"You're fucked in the head if you think I'm going to tell you anything about him. I love him."

"You're a child, Em. You're sixteen. You don't know what love is."

"Oh, and you do? Because our parents were _so_ loving and gentle." She snarled sarcastically, rounding on her, "Don't tell me about love. The second I turn eighteen, I'm going to get the bite and there's nothing you can do about it."

"If you're eighteen, you'll be an adult and I'll kill you. And then I'll kill your little boyfriend." Kate laughed at Emily's reaction to grab her by the throat and throw her up against the door, arm across her throat.

"Why do you hate me so much, Kate?" She whispered, "All I've wanted was to stay out of this."

When Emily entered the hall, her father stood there in all his bloody glory. His fist met her jaw roughly. She was thrown down the stairs, her head slamming several times as he followed her down. She was crumpled on the ground, trying to crawl to the front doors to run. He grasped her hair and tugged her up to punch his youngest daughter a second time.

"What's his name, Em?"

"Fuck you." He kneed her in the face, breaking her nose. She cried out. Gerard continued to assault her face, breaking skin with his rings and force until he dropped her to the ground. Emily slung her bag over her shoulder and ran out the door, onto her bicycle and took the back way to school; knowing basketball practice was ending soon. Derek always stayed after, and sure enough he was alone in the gym when she came inside.

"D-Derek," She called.

Derek spun to face her and dropped the ball at the sight of her. In two steps, she was in his arms. He cupped her jaw, taking pain away as he held her.

"What happened? What did Kate do to you?!"

"She didn't do this. My-My dad's here. Derek, you're not safe anymore. They're trying to get me to tell them your name. I wouldn't."

"Come on, I'm taking you to my mother. Maybe she can help you." He scooped her up, her arms around his shoulders as she slipped into the car. Derek's reflexes were strong enough, he kept her in his lap while he hauled ass back to his home. Talia was on the porch when he slammed the breaks in the driveway. Emily was losing blood quickly. He was panicking. He couldn't lose Emily too.

"Mom! Help her!" He shouted as he reached her, the girl unconscious.

"What do you want me to do, Derek?"

"The Bite. Please, mom! I know what might happen, but please!" He fell to his knees, "I love her. I love her so much."

Talia couldn't stand seeing her son in more pain than he'd gone through this past year. And she'd met Emily before. She matched Derek in sarcasm and wit. Emily was perfect for him.

"Bring her inside."


	2. Chapter 2

He lifted her head into his lap after he laid her down on his bed, kissing her forehead. Blood seeped into his jeans as he did so, but he didn't care. Her eyes fluttered open slowly as she looked up at him.

"I love you," She managed weakly, "I…I love you."

"Don't say that like you're saying goodbye to me, Emily."

"I'm dying. Everything hurts."

"Emily, Derek wants me to give you the Bite. Do you want that?" Talia asked, seated by the young girl's feet. Derek had tears in his eyes, face buried into the soft hair at the top of her head.

"Only if he leaves the room." She whimpered, "In case it doesn't work.

"What? Em, I'm not leaving you."

"Derek. I don't want you to see it if my body rejects the Bite." She gritted her teeth as she said it, "Send Laura, if you want someone to hold my hand through this. Please, baby." The Argent pleaded. His lips covered hers for a moment, eyes closed as he stayed still for a minute. Her hand reached up and brushed his cheek.

"I love you, Emily. Come back to me." Derek whispered, allowing his older sister to shoo him from his own room and take his place behind her, head in Laura's lap. The door slammed shut in his face and he rested his forehead against the door, trying not to feel broken. His fingers brushed against the smooth wood.

Inside, Laura's fingers laced through the young girl's, taking as much pain as she could bear. They stripped her jacket and knit top to set them in a chair beside Derek's bed. Talia took in a deep breath, bending down toward the skin at her hip. Her fingers tightened around Laura's, bracing herself.

Derek heard her scream when Talia bit deeply into her flesh. It felt as though a knife was sunk into his chest and twisted at the sound. Tears ran down his face as he leaned against the wall across from the room, heels of his palms pressed into his eyes as he drew his knees against his chest. To say he worried about her was an understatement. His stomach was clenched as he waited.

Peter plopped down on the floor beside him, face set in a serious mask.

"She'll be fine, Derek."

"Shut up."

"She's stronger than Paige."

"Stop talking." He growled at the other Beta, eyes glowing blue. Derek didn't know how long they sat in silence, waiting. Her heartbeat was moving faster, and Laura passed them a few times to grab things. He was in agony. When it was nearly dark outside, the brunette Hale resurfaced from the depths of his bedroom.

"Derek, her Bite is healing. The other injuries might take a while longer to heal, because of their severity. But, Emily's going to be better than fine." She smiled as he leapt up and sprinted into his room. She was on her side, arms around his pillow and her face buried into it. He almost laughed: she was purposely trying to get closer to his scent. He pulled the pillow away and replaced himself with it. She stirred slightly at the change in temperature, scooting higher up his chest until her bandage-wrapped head was rested over his heart. He fell asleep like this, one arm around her shoulders, free fingers laced through hers and rested on his abdomen.

* * *

She woke up before he did, when the early morning light flowed through the closed blinds; turning his bedroom walls pearly gray. Emily _felt_ stronger as she tried to slip out from his hold to go to the bathroom—to the left of the bed. A blush crept over her neck and cheeks as she realized she was still clad in only her bra and panties. That was the least Derek ever saw her in. She hadn't let it go any further than groping with her like this and him shirtless.

"No," She heard him protest before he slid her underneath him—the mattress bouncing with the shift in weight. One arm wrapped around his shoulders, the other set curled into the fabric of his shirt at the collar.

"Derek, I have to pee."

"Then I'm going with you."

"Don't be insane. I'm fine; you don't have to watch me every second of every day." She whispered, tilting her head up to kiss the bridge of her nose. He smiled crookedly at the affectionate action, and flipped them to let her crawl off and waddle into the bathroom. Licking his dry lips, he searched his messy bedside table for the water bottle he'd set down last night. It was on her side, so he had to bend over the edge to reach it. The toilet flushed and he still hadn't found it.

"Damn it," He grumbled.

"Sweetheart, I already know you have nice ass. You don't have to show it off." She said. He sat back up and faced her immediately, seeing the playful smirk on her face.

"C'mere." He mumbled, opening his arms. She giggled, half-skipping over to the bed on stronger legs and climbed onto his lap, straddling his thighs as she wound her skinny arms around his neck. His hazel eyes were warm and soft as they took her in.

When Peter told him that the Bite made those bitten more beautiful, he didn't expect it to be true with Emily. Her hair lightened slightly in color; softer and an inch longer. The angled bones in her face were more visible, her skin more fair. Her lips were fuller and bubblegum pink. Her heart stuttered when Derek's eyes moved down to her body. It was more curved than it had been before, which said a lot because she was always built curvy, her hips were wider where they pressed into his, and the muscles in her legs were more taut. His heart was beating faster in his chest and her innocent eyes widened at the fact she could hear it now.

"You're insanely beautiful, did you know that?" He whispered, brushing her hair back behind her shoulder as he placed a kiss at the back of her jaw, nipping. She wrinkled her nose friskily before she surprised the hell out of him. In the blink of an eye, Emily had him pinned to the bed with his wrists against his mattress. _Damn, she was strong_, he thought when he couldn't pull them free.

"You smell so good." She whispered, her nose tracing up and down his hard jaw, "Why didn't I notice that before?"

"Your senses are heightened. Everything is going to seem stronger and more Intune with you now." He let out a strangled choking sound as her teeth scraped his skin. The blonde smirked at his reaction, moving both her boyfriend's wrists into one hand as the other moved down his neck, over his shoulder and down his chest. His muscles contracted when her palm moved over the hard ridges of his abdomen.

"Where are the others? I can't hear their hearts."

"I think they gave us some alone time." He replied, quietly, "Since my mother isn't letting you out of our house until you learn to control yourself."

"Mm, does that control thing include when I'm in bed with you?" She teased, bending down to leave wet kisses along the curve of his neck, her tongue tasting his skin. Emily moaned at the salty, soapy taste that came from it. He groaned, struggling to get his hands free again. Rolling her eyes, she released his wrists and dragged her nails down the ridges she'd traced moments before.

"You're playful this morning," He commented, sitting them up so her face hovered slightly above his, one hand splayed out across most of her slim back.

"I feel good. More than good. I feel amazing." She said, reaching up to ruffle his hair. It was still messy from sleep; sticking up in every direction. It was also sexy as hell. Her vision was even sharper, making every inch of skin in sight more flawless than she'd even originally thought.

"I thought I was going to lose you," He whispered, running his nose up and down against hers as Derek pressed his forehead into hers.

"You'll never lose me," She immediately assured him, "I promise, Derek. I'll never leave you. I love you."

Emily loved it when he looked at her like this—so intense it made her stomach flutter with something larger and faster moving than butterflies. He didn't say anything. Nothing was necessary. Derek's soft mouth met hers and both groaned at the contact. The other's mouth felt softer against their's than it ever had before. His lips moved harder against hers, trying to let the heat he always felt when she was close to him into the kiss. Her lips fought against his, holding her own. He felt her long, thin fingers knot into his hair to anchor him to her. Derek pushed her back onto his bed, so their legs were toward the pillows and her head was at the end; her hair fanned out around her like a halo. Her eyes shut as she parted her legs for him to lay between them. His palms were spread on either side of her head to keep himself from smashing her with his weight. The girl was a whole 108lbs, soaking wet.

"I want you," she breathed against his lips. They formed the words with hers, not straying away from the kiss.

"Are you sure?"

"This is the only time your whole family's going to be gone, when are we going to have time to again?" She whispered, arms moving around to his back as she wrenched the fabric upward—halfway up the smooth skin before he pulled back just enough to throw it onto the floor. Her hands smoothed up and down his chest. Emily pushed him to sit up slightly more. Her mouth attached to his abs, licking and kissing over the ridges she loved so much.

"Emily," He groaned, hands on her shoulders as he pinned them to the bed. He was on her instantly, tongue running over the flesh of her bottom lip wantonly. The newest Beta obliged, opening her mouth to his. His tongue stroked over hers, a low growl tearing through his chest. _God, she even tasted better than she used to! How was that even fair?_

Her arms moved back under his, her fingers dipping in and running down the divot of his spine. Her hands paused and nails dug into soft flesh as her tongue tangled with his, tough enough to fight him for dominance and actually have a chance. She sighed against him and his fingers were wrapped around her prominent hipbones. Then Derek did something he hadn't been brave enough to try with her before. He grinded his hips down against hers. Her wild gasp cause him to smirk at her, even with their heated kiss. He echoed her gasp when her ankles locked behind his back, legs wrapped around his hips. He released her hips to caressing his hands along her soft skin, thumbs grazing the underside of her bra.

"Derek," She whimpered, before her voice fell back into a seductive and confident tone, "Take off your pants."

"What?" He blinked a few times, leaning back slightly. Derek almost couldn't believe the words came from his virgin girlfriend's mouth.

"Take. Off. Your. Pants." She said, slower as her eyes locked intensely with his. His eyes glowed bright blue at the words. She was making his pulse fly out of control. His heart was moving as fast as a hummingbird's. It wasn't like he'd had experience with this. He wasn't a virgin, but he'd only done it with one girl and it was at a party in the next town. He was drunk and depressed about Paige, and he doesn't remember much about it.

He swallowed, her eyes traced on the bob of his Adam's apple. He reached between them to undo his belt. His knuckles grazed her naval as he did, tugging his jeans off and lifting his lower body to slide them off. Emily used her feet to push them off completely. Her teeth closed around her bottom lip as she stared up at him hungrily. She could see the tent in his jeans, and that's what caused her to shift for the first time. She cried out at the pain from her claws breaking skin, her teeth stretching her gums. She blinked and her eyes were burning gold. Derek's breath caught.

"Do I look okay?" She asked.

"You're beautiful, even shifted." He warned her, fingertip tracing her jaw for seconds before she was kissing him again. Kissing him roughly and pushing him onto his back once again. Then she was on top of him, rolling her hips into his three times before he gripped them in his large hands to stall the motion. She shrugged, moving her hands up and down his bare, now slightly sweaty, chest.

"You have more on than me now. I think you're wearing too many clothes." He said into her mouth.

"Then take some off," She replied, sucking a bruise into the junction of his neck and shoulder. Emily loved sucking on Derek's neck, even when they'd been in coach's office. She didn't really know why either, all she knew is that she found kissing his neck extremely sexy to her.

Her heart stopped when his fingers unclipped her plain white bra expertly and tugged the straps quickly down her arms. It joined his clothes on the floor. She immediately covered herself self-consciously.

"Hell no. I've waited a year to see you, babe, don't hide from me." He whispered encouragingly. The lust in his voice was enough for her to trust him. Her arms uncrossed as his eyes moved over her.

"Can I touch you?" His hazel eyes were dark as he asked the question. Always the gentleman.

"I'll kill you if you don't." She snarled, her eyes still gold on his. Her pulse wasn't slowing enough to come back from the shift. His hands were on her instantly, squeezing. Her head fell back at the action, her entire body igniting at the touch. Skin on skin. Emily felt like she had a fever, just from him. He moved his calloused hands down her body, thumbing her hips. She lifted her hips as she stripped her panties; making the first move. He swallowed heavily, determined not to look down. Especially when she tugged his boxers down and he lifted his ass to help her.

He was shaking. She rolled them once again, pulling him on top of her.

"What's wrong?" She whispered lowly.

"Nothing. I'm just nervous. I—I have to hurt you."

"I'll heal." She quoted him the several times she'd been around when he got hurt. He grinned.

"I love you, so much." He reminded her.

"Derek, I love you too. Condom. Now." She growled. The sound of her growl made him twitch.

"Not quite yet." He replied, his hand moving between her thighs.

"Oh!" She gasped when his fingers curled and moved. Her stomach was tightening with every movement and she didn't want this. She wasn't one for self-gratification; she wanted to make Derek feel good too.

"No more. Baby, I _want _you." Her hips ground up into him for emphasis.

"Alright. So impatient." He teased, pecking her on the lips. She groaned at the loss of contact when he moved back to take a foil packet from his drawer. When she saw _**him**_ for the first time, her breath caught.

"You're not going to fit." She murmured.

"Trust me, I'll fit." He said, "Everything else about us fits perfectly, Em. Why wouldn't this?"

"Dammit. I hate when you're right." She peppered his jawline with butterfly kisses, "But, I love you anyway."

"I love you, _plus que ma propre vie_." He said, a sentence he'd worked on for months to make sure it sounded good. Emily's smile widened.

"More than your own life?"

"Definitely." He replied, their fingers linked together as he rolled on the condom and pushed inside until he felt the barrier. Her eyes were trained on his lower lip, finding herself wanting to bite it.

"Go ahead, bite me. It won't hurt." He said, dipping his head closer to let her. Her teeth closed around it and nibbled at the plush skin as he pushed through her hymen. She screamed, biting even harder. She broke skin and his blood exploded into her mouth. Coppery. Tears rolled down her cheeks at the pain in her lower body. Derek's body was trembling as he held himself from moving.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He murmured between pecks on her blood-coated lips. His blood was on both their mouths, and she licked it off. After she stopped hurting, her hips moved up. He relaxed, thrusting in and out of her. Her claws dug into his shoulders as they flexed with every movement. When her breaths fell in time with his thrusts and her hips met his, he felt close. So, so close to losing it before she could. Her stomach was fisted into a ball, sending heat lower. Her claws ripped through his back when she came—his name spilling from her lips in a loud cry. He followed instantly, biting her throat roughly. She came a second time just from his biting.

His face was buried into her chest, exhausted already, while her fingers massaged his scalp, humming contentedly.

"I love you, Derek. I hope you know that by now."

"Of course I know that. I knew that before we did that…Is that why you wanted to?"

"No. I wanted to make love because I was ready to. It doesn't even hurt anymore; I promise." Emily pulled him up until their noses skimmed, foreheads tightly pressed together. He leaned into it.

"Okay." He nodded, "We need to shower, then we'll go get breakfast."

Her stomach rumbled and she sprung up off of the bed. He watched her ass as she jogged into his bathroom.

"Derek," She made his name two long syllables, "Are you coming?"

The Hale stood up and closed the bathroom door behind him. He turned the water on and snaked both arms around her bare waist. She leaned into his strong embrace, enjoying the way he felt steady to her. He made her feel safe, and forget about what she was going to do about her family.

They backed into the tile chamber, both moving under the water. This time, she kissed him lovingly, eyes fluttered shut. He kissed her back just as lightly; without tongue. Derek spun her around, chest against her back as he reached for his shampoo. He _wanted_ her to smell like him. He massaged the sticky soap into her scalp, washing her hair for her. She leaned back against him, the feel of it relaxing her. Derek turned her back to face him as he used the shower water to wash it out. Emily opened her gray eyes when he stopped, his hand pressed between her shoulders.

She took her turn shampooing his hair, oddly comfortable with this. He hummed contentedly.

Forty minutes later, after washing each-other innocently, they climbed out of the shower. He wrapped a fluffy navy towel around her skinny body and threw one around his hips. Her eyes followed a droplet of water that moved down his chest.

"I'll go see if any of Laura's clothes are small enough for you." He murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth as he disappeared through his room. To his surprise, there was a folded set of clothes laid on his sister's bed with a note addressed to him.

_Give these to my new little sister. I went and picked these up last night for her. Hope you had a good morning, little bro. Remember to use a condom! ;)_

_~L_

That was so like her to address his sex life, but he picked them up and walked back into his bedroom. He paused at the doorframe when he saw her examining the changes in her body in the mirror.

"You were perfect before, you're perfect now." Derek alerted her to his presence. She jumped and drew the towel tighter around herself.

"I'm nowhere near perfect." She argued, "My eyes are too big."

"Liar." He set the clothes on the bed and stepped up behind her. His arms wrapped around her again and his mouth dropped to her collarbone, dragging his teeth and tongue across. After a moment, and a low moan from her, he leaned back, heading to his closet. Emily rolled her shoulders back and she spun to retrieve the clothes. She lifted the note and giggled at the last sentence. _Of course Laura would write something like that. _Her face burned bright red, heart skipping a beat when she saw the bra and panty set. It barely qualified as panties; a scrap of lace fabric, and the bra looked like it would be too tight; push-up bra.

She stepped into the black and white flowered hip-hugger cheeky panties and put on the matching black lace bra, looking at herself in the mirror. Even her breasts were bigger, because of the Bite makeover. It made her entire body shift into 'perfect' as Derek put it.

"Remind me to tell my sister how much I love her." He growled from where he stood in the doorway to his closet. He'd just put on his jeans when he saw her. All he wanted now was to throw her into bed and make love to her until she couldn't stand.

"I love her too. I love all of your family…well, except maybe Peter…he creeps me out."

"He creeps everyone out." He teased, kissing the tip of her nose as he held up her shirt. Emily lifted her arms and he pulled the shirt over her head and eased it down her abdomen, sliding her jeans up her long legs, zipping them, and buttoning them up for her. He kissed the inside of her ankles when he put on her socks and boots. She burst out laughing when he threw her over his shoulder and through the house until they reached the kitchen.

"What do you want to eat? We have pretty much everything." He called over his shoulder. She was seated at his counter, one leg crossed over the other as she looked him up and down. It was that damn shirt again. His green plaid button up that he always only wore with a gray wife-beater-tank-top underneath. It was her favorite on him and she'd be lying if she said she didn't think of in her fantasies about him before this morning.

"Babe?" He murmured, bringing her back.

"I...Uh…Um…" Her mouth was dry. He grinned, leaning against the other side of the counter, elbows supporting his weight.

"What were you thinking about, baby?" Derek said, as his face drifted closer to hers.

"How much I love that shirt on you…and how much more I'd love it on your bedroom floor." She replied, her voice confident. He loved this new confidence, the way she wasn't afraid to say what she was thinking.

"We have to eat something before we do that again, or one of us is going to pass out." He replied, tilting his head to press a kiss to the underside of her jaw. She moaned, quietly. Every touch vibrated through every inch of her. The change in her senses was overwhelming in the best way possible.

He stepped back, turning away and crossing the length of the large kitchen. Keeping herself quiet, she sprinted across the room and leaped onto his back. Her arms were around his neck, legs around his waist from behind. Derek's arms held her up as he reached up and took the box of cereal he knew she liked down. He let her piggy-back as he moved. Emily's feet didn't touch the floor until he set her down at the table.

The door swung open and his immediate family trailed in, stumbling over each-other in their haste to see their newest pack member. Ten-year-old Cora, who spent more time with Emily than anyone in the family besides Derek, didn't hesitate to run across the room. The beta turned her chair and hauled the youngest Hale into her lap and wrapped her arms around her lower-back, hugging her tightly. She hid her face in Cora's hair, inhaling. Her sense of smell was so heightened, she wanted to learn all of these scents to commit to memory. Cora smelled similar to Derek, but colder. Sharper, like peppermint.

"Are you my sister now?" She asked into the Argent's shoulder. Her eyes drifted to Derek, letting him answer his younger sister.

"Yeah, Cora. She is." Four words were enough to make her heart jump. Derek summed up what he wanted from her in four words.

"So, you're going to marry Derek?"

"If he asks me, of course." Emily answered, tucking a loose strand of flatiron auburn hair behind her new little sister's ear.

Derek felt his stomach drop. _She would? If he asked her, right now, she'd say yes? At 16?_ Talia entered the room next and bent down to kiss the top of Emily's head, as she would with Laura or any of her children. Pride drifted from her son in waves. He _was_ proud of his girl; she was strong and wild and his. She wanted to be there with him, despite murdering Paige. She didn't care that the color of his eyes were changed because of it. That didn't stop her from falling in love with him. When Peter came in, he immediately grew possessive. It wasn't a secret that he wanted whatever Derek had that he couldn't. His lips pressed against hers for a long moment before he shot his Uncle a harsh glare.

"You look absolutely fantastic," Peter told her, "Lycanthropy suits you, Emily."

"Thank you, Peter." She said disinterestedly.

* * *

Kate winced as she took another blow to the face. She'd grown used to Gerard's beatings in her 21 years of life, to the point where mere winces were the only sound she made.

"How could you lose her? She's your responsibility, Katherine!" He snarled, kicking her in the ribs. Her eyes shut tightly in pain.

"I didn't mean to…She just disappeared."

"If my daughter is a monster because you let her free, I swear to God, Kate. I'll kill you slowly and painfully." He threatened, "You have two weeks to find her." Without so much as another word, Gerard slammed the door to her home and left her, broken and bruised on the floor.

* * *

**A/N: Go back and read the love scene again, but listen to 'Exotic by Priyanka feat. Pitbull'. IDK why, but I had that in my head as the background music. Thanks, lovelies.**


	3. Chapter 3

Derek's hand crept up the front of her shirt and settled on the smooth skin of her stomach as his mouth slanted over hers. Her hard breathing mixed with his was the only sound in the whole room. She arched her entire body into him wantonly.

After ninety percent of their training sessions with Talia ended like this, she'd pulled Emily into separate sessions than Derek. She sparred with Laura and Derek was stuck with Peter. Their time together was limited, now.

His palm moved down to her thigh, stroking it up and down over her jeans. Her legs were wrapped around him, her left hand buried in his hair as the other pressed into the sweaty skin of his lower-back beneath his wife-beater. Derek wore it on purpose, knowing it would tempt her. Emily's breath came out through her nose, her entire body on fire for this—his touch. He knew it was the full moon tomorrow playing with her libido, but he wasn't going to turn down his girlfriend offering her body to him. He was sixteen for Christ sakes!

"Derek," She sighed his name against his lips, tugging harder on his raven locks. He growled in response, gripping her thigh with his long fingers.

"Wait. Wait, you have a game in two hours. You should be getting dressed and ready to go."

"I can't play basketball with a boner," He said harshly, hearing her sharp intake of breath, "And you give me one constantly—every single time I look at you. You've ruined me," He teased her on the last three words. Emily traced his jaw with her fingertips slowly.

"I'll make it worth it if you go play and win tonight." She said, slowly. Truthfully, Emily like watching him play. He was focused so focused; the way his muscles rolled underneath his skin when he shot is what made her start coming to his games in the first place.

"Really?" He grinned.

"Really." She laughed at the gleeful expression on her boyfriend's face.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I'll do whatever you want when we get home." She replied without hesitation. He pecked her on the lips to pull away slowly, standing up, grabbing his jersey and shorts. Emily leaned up on her elbows, staring up at him when he stripped his undershirt to pull on the maroon jersey. She bit her bottom lip, watching him with her thick-lashed eyes.

"What?" He asked when he felt her gaze.

"You're gorgeous." She hid her face after she spoke, face burning red. He smiled widely at her, tilting her head up with two fingers.

"Not as gorgeous as you, but thank you." Derek said as he pulled his shorts up and tied them.

She picked up his hoodie from the floor and pulled it on. It fell down to her upper-thighs, big and baggy. But, it smelled like him, and it had his name on the back. She reached up and interlocked their fingers to tug him close to her. Her arms snaked around his broad shoulders, letting him lift her up so her feet were just barely off the ground. Derek held Emily close, flat against him.

"I'm worried." She admitted, "Kate…What if she hurts you?"

"She won't. She doesn't know it's me. Kate doesn't know anything, remember? She can't hurt us, Em." He kissed her slowly—to remind her that this wasn't some teenage fling. That he wanted her for as much time as they both had to live.

"Let's go." She took his hand in hers as they made their way out to the car, the hood cloaking her face from view as she crawled into the passenger seat of his Toyota Highlander. He kept her hand in his as they drove, his eyes flicking from the rod to her face and back again.

"Stop staring, it's creepy."

"Like you don't stare at me?" He shot back.

"No, I gaze. It's not creepy, it's romantic." She grumbled sarcastically in response. He shook his head at her, but let it slide. Kate's sports car was near the gym when they pulled up. Emily's stomach dropped, eyes instantly turning bright yellow, claws digging into her palm and the back of Derek's hand.

"Emily, calm down. Someone's going to see you!" He growled, turning her to look at him and tugging the hood back up before he surged forward to kiss her. This was when he saw Kate heading toward the double doors of the gymnasium; to hide his girlfriend's face from view. Her eyes were still closed when he moved away from her.

"She's going to see me in the gym, and she'll take me back. Derek, if she takes me home you'll never see me again. They'll string me up and cut me in half." Her heart was pounding against her chest cavity, the scent of her fear filling the entire car. Tears blurred her vision and rolled down her cheeks, her body wracking silently.

"Ssh, I'm _not_ going to let that happen to you. Come here." He hauled her over the console and into his lap, tucking her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. She clutched onto him, crying harder in terror.

"I don't want to die, Derek." She whispered against his skin, her hot tears soaking his skin. Her eyelashes were stuck together from her tears.

"You won't. Your entire family has to get through me first." His hazel eyes were hard, determined when she met them, "You're safe, I promise." His hands rubbed her back, lips against her cheek.

She wiped tears off with the back of her hand, relaxed now, as they got out of the car. Her face was still obscured by the hood as he led her inside, stopping just outside the door to the Boys' Locker room. He pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her skinny shoulders, kissing the crown of her head as he embraced her.

"Go out there and kick ass, Mr. Hale." She grinned up at him with pearly white teeth, "Like you always do."

"I will. Love you."

"You too."

A brunette she'd befriended called Caroline fell into step with her just as she tugged his hoodie off and kept it against her chest. If Kate found her, she wanted to make sure she couldn't see his last name.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you."

"I heard it was mono. That sucks so bad."

"Yeah, Der and I both got it so I just stayed at his house. It was easier to quarantine us in one room." She lied calmly, smiling at the concern in her friend's voice.

"Oh my God. Did you…?" Caroline asked, stopping her with wide brown eyes. A smirk, a very naughty smirk, came across Emily's face in response.

"Mayyyyybe." She blushed, licking her bottom lip.

"And?"

"Oh God, Care, it was amazing. We've been going at it almost every freaking night since I started staying at his house."

"EVERY NIGHT?!" She shouted, causing the beta's hand to shoot out and cover the human's mouth. Derek's head spun in their direction from his stretching, straining his ears to isolate their voices.

"Holy shit, Em! You've been out of school for a month. You've had sex 30 times this month?"

"No, I've had sex 30 _days_ this month. We've done it more than once a day a couple times."

"Da-yum, girl! Does he make you…?"

"Yes." Emily blushed at their conversation as they walked side-by-side into the throng of school-spirited kids, "Every. Single Time." Caroline covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing when they sat down.

"He must be really good." Is all she said. Derek smirked when his girlfriend made eye-contact with him.

"Yeah, he really is." She winked at him and he had to look away to will his body not to react. He really, _really _didn't want to get a hard-on in basketball shorts—everyone would be able to see it. She giggled, but relaxed. Several of their acquaintances joined them, sitting behind them. Emily leaned back against one of the girls' knees, keeping her senses on alert for Kate, Gerard, or any of the hunters that worked for them.

Hairs at the back of her neck stood on end and she slowly turned her head to see Camden, a new hunter that only worked for her family to get money for his mother—she had terminal leukemia. Her stomach clenched.

"Care, take Derek's hoodie. My family still wants to find out who my boyfriend is. You've met my dad, he'll kill him. Literally." She spoke lowly to her best friend. She nodded, taking the fabric and folding it in her lap inconspicuously.

"Emily, do you know how worried we were?" Kate's voice was like ice-water thrown over her. Her breathing turned faster along with her heartbeat and she had to fight to keep herself from shifting. Gerard was at the end of the gym—the exit—and she did the one thing Talia taught her if she was outnumbered. Run. She threw herself onto her feet and took off sprinting. Derek could see her running, but he couldn't move. If he did, Kate would know and his whole family was in jeopardy. Emily begged him a few days earlier to let her run if she needed to, she'd let him know where she was to come find her.

The Argents went after her, seeing her hair fly behind her just as she entered the darkness of the woods. Taking a deep breath, she switched to all fours and moved even faster that way. She had to be at least fifteen miles in before she stopped to breathe. The sound of a bow being released entered her ears and she dropped onto her belly. The next was a flash bolt and she covered her eyes.

"MOVE!" A voice shouted as its owner grabbed the back of her shirt and pushed her momentum forward. He was right behind her, keeping pace with her. She let out an 'oof' sound when she was pulled into a small cellar, the doors shut behind them as a large, pale hand covered her mouth. She recognized Peter's scent instantly and he released her. Her heart jumped out of control at the sound of her older sister's voice.

"Emily," Kate sing-songed, "Sweetie, we're going to find you one way or another."

"Be quiet!" He hissed at her when she let out a whimper.

They were there for two days, the sun rising when she cursed and made her way up the stairs. She'd just made it into the trees when she heard an entire pack enter the clearing where the large tree-trunk stood. Emily ducked behind a tree, hiding herself when the thirteen wolves and the emissary entered into her line of vision. Peter was still completely asleep.

Her heart stopped when the Alpha sliced through the necks of her betas, scratching and tearing until they were bloody messes on the ground, until it was just the small emissary. She was thin and frail with long sepia hair, pale skin. About 22.

"Kali, please! Don't do this! PLEASE!" The girl begged. Claws cut through her face, the girl screaming every time she struck. Her body hit the ground and the Indian Alpha was covered in blood, her skin. Even Emily could hear the faint, slowing beating of the Emissary's heart. She turned and walked away on bare feet. Emily was horrified as she took in the carnage in front of her.

Her gray eyes widened as the slashed girl rolled onto her stomach and forced herself to crawl until she could reach the stump. That was when everything clicked. This was the nemeton. This was where Paige died…Oh, Shit. Her mind was whirring as she thought of the druid lessons Chris taught her when he came and saw her twice a month. _The nemeton has been powerless for years…Druids used to use it to make their sacrifices on in ancient times, to give it power to aid them…Virgins, Warriors, Philosophers, Guardians, Healers…Virgins. Virgins. Virgins. Paige. Paige gave it power!_

"NO!" Emily screamed the second her hand flattened against the bark. She could feel the energy as it whirled around both of them. It struck her painfully and she found herself on her back on the leaves, staring up at the pearly gray sky, Peter's face drifting in and out of view. She'd been knocked out by the power from the Nemeton.

"Come on, the police are here. If they see us, we're dead." He threw her over his shoulder and ran until he reached their home. Derek's eyes flashed open when her scent entered the house and he was instantly down the stairs.

"What did you do to her?!" He snarled, shifted and ready to tear Peter apart, "Why is she hurt?!"

"Not his fault…" She said calmly as she flung herself into his arms. He gripped her fiercely, not wanting to let her out of his sight. Neither of them told Derek what she'd seen, or where Peter took her to hide. The image of all that blood on the root, made her ill. Of course, Talia pulled them away from their Pack to question them.

Derek was outside the door, their voices muffled to the point where he could hear garbled English. Talia lined her claws up against the back of his girlfriend's neck and she took the memories she'd just had of the nemeton. Emily screamed once again, and Derek pushed through the door with his shoulder, seeing his mother's claws retract from Emily's skin.

"Mom, what did you do?"

"The same thing I'm going to have to do to you."

"What?"

"Take your memories of the Nemeton. It's where she just was." And then his mother's claws were in the back of his neck and everything faded to black. The last thing he heard was his girlfriend's sharp intake of breath.


	4. Chapter 4

**Seven Months Earlier; May 2005**

_ Emily shrugged into her leather jacket, fanning her curls out over her shoulders. Caroline was trying to haul her off to some drunkard, and she'd agreed uneasily. Turning on her heels, she disappeared down the hallway, tiptoeing down the steps until she reached the front door. Her fingers just brushed against the handle when the light flashed on and there, hair pulled back, dressed to hunt, stood Kate._

_ "Where exactly do you think you're going?"_

_ "Out. A party. With, you know, horny human boys trying to grope me?" She replied snidely. Kate grasped the front of her shirt to slam her up against the door._

_ "Watch your mouth, Em. And the hell you are. It's the full moon tonight, if you do anything—you're going to be hunting with me."_

_ "Oh hell no. I am not some little kid you can control, Kate! If I want to go to a fucking party, I'll go. You're my sister, not my mom!" Emily shouted. She flinched where the knuckles smashed into her nose. It wasn't broken, but her eyes were watering. She slumped slightly against the door before her knee met Kate's ribcage. The unexpected blow gave the younger Argent time to wrench open the door and run. Run like hell. Kate hadn't hit her before. Threatened, pushed into a door, yes. Never punched. Deep into the twists of trees that clouded her vision, she misjudged the distance before a root. Her toe caught on it, she fell forward. Her knuckles scraped across harsh bark as she shot a hand out to catch herself._

_ Derek rounded the corner, looking behind him to see if he was followed. His calves struck the side of Emily's body and the earth rushed up to his face. Using his reflexes, he spun himself so his back flattened against the ground when he fell. Her heartbeat was slow and even, unafraid. Derek could hear her breathing. He rolled onto his knees to face the person he'd tripped over. When she sat up, his stomach rolled over._

_ "Pretty damn clumsy for a werewolf." She remarked, flashing a slight smirk and wincing at the pain it caused her split lip. His heart was pounding in his chest. No weapons. She wasn't a hunter. He stood up slowly, her eyes flitting up and down his body. Care was right, Derek Hale is sexy as hell, She thought to herself. Being the gentleman his mother taught him to be, he offered her his hand. She smiled at the gesture, taking it willingly. He lifted her to her feet, and she stumbled forward. One arm snuck around her waist to catch her._

_ Her heart stuttered when his thumb hovered over the split in her full lip, his hand underneath her chin. When his hand touched, her pulse jumped, her breath caught, and then the pain was gone. She smiled gratefully._

_ "I'm Emily." She said, gently. Derek moved his hand down to take hers—the bloodied up one—and lifted it to his eye level. She licked her bottom lip when he kissed her knuckles and took pain from that area as well._

_ "I'm Derek." He replied, surprised that she didn't interrupt him about knowing who he was. He'd seen her at school before; in three classes. From what he remembered, she was pretty damn smart. Even prettier up close. At the sound of a branch snapping with heavy boots, her hand closed around his strong shoulder. She swept his leg out from under him and shoved. Derek fell into the bushes behind him, wondering what the hell he'd done wrong…the thoughts stopped when a familiar face came into view. A hunter he'd seen before. She was protecting him. He growled inwardly when the woman seized Emily by the upper arm and dragged her away from him. His heart was beating faster as he watched them walk away._

**December 2005 (Present Day...for now)**

Derek was aware of the small circle of heat, keeping half of him warmer than the other. That was the first thing he registered. The second, after opening his eyes, was that Emily was curled up into his side protectively, asleep. He was on a cot in the basement where he'd passed out; parallel to the door. She was between the door and him—defending him from anyone else who came into the room. He noticed a new cut across her cheekbone; taking longer to heal.

"Emily, baby, wake up." He murmured gently, grasping her shoulder to shake her awake. Her eyes opened begrudgingly until she was on his lap, grasping his face between her small hands, and kissing across his face.

"What happened?" Derek ran the pad of his thumb across the closing cut.

"I got in a fight with Peter. This is nothing compared to earlier." She lifted her shirt to show him a bandage crossing her hip. He growled. "I was dumb enough to pick a fight with your mother. You passed out, I was scared, and I…I lunged."

"You attacked my mother to protect me? Are you out of your mind?!" He snapped, angry at her for doing something so obviously stupid. She hung her head, swallowing heavily.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I thought she hurt you. Derek, I lost control and-and the next thing I knew, we were fighting. She told me it's okay, because I'm still learning, but I still felt like shit. I've been right here for the past six hours to keep everyone away from you. Why am I acting so weird? I feel like tearing apart any other wolf that even looks at you. All your uncle did was come into the room and I knocked him on his ass." Her voice was rough. Her gray eyes were wide where they looked up at him through thick lashes. Terrified.

"You're my mate." He breathed quietly. Most of the time, only wolves that were born could be real mates; connected like this. The fact that she felt the connection first was rare. It didn't happen often.

"What does that mean?"

"The equivalent of being married to wolves. Every other supernatural being on this earth can tell, because now I'm always going to have your scent on me, same with you. You smell like me now." He murmured, tucking her hair behind her ear. He was smiling at her, trying to calm her.

"Then why am I acting like a lunatic and you're…you?" She sputtered.

"It's your first full moon tonight, it's just effecting you."

"I don't want to hurt anybody." She whimpered.

"I might have to chain you up," He said, quiet and concerned.

"That's okay." She nodded, "As long as I don't hurt anyone."

Their foreheads pressed together, arms snaked around the other. Derek loved being this close to her: she felt so good pressed against him. Emily fit against him effortlessly. Her cheek healed up right away. She stiffened, sat bolt upright and glared over at Peter when he entered with yellow eyes. A growl tore through her chest—on the defense once again.

"Babe, stop. Hey, look at me." Derek hissed, grabbing her chin between his thumb and forefinger as he tilted her head to look down at him, "He's not going to hurt me. Breathe." With a deep breath that filled her lungs to the brim, she rolled her shoulders back and allowed herself to relax once again. Her face nuzzled into his neck, dragging her nose up and down the skin as she inhaled her mate's scent. Emily was more Wolf than Human now. Unfortunately, he was still reacting to her mouth being that close. She grinned into his skin, almost imperceptibly grinding against that reaction. He nipped at her jaw warningly.

"Feeling better, Der?" He asked as he crouched down in front of the younger Hale. Peter pursed his lips enviously as he watched Emily move her nose to the other side of his nephew's neck. He was five years older, how was it even fair for Derek to get the girl when he hadn't?

"Yeah. I am." He replied, biting back a groan when her tongue flicked out just below his ear. Out of sight of his uncle. She smirked even wider at this, concentrating on marking up his neck. Not that he was protesting, his hands were gripping her hips with bruising force, still talking to Peter vaguely. She shifted in his lap and dragged the points of her canine teeth across the flesh of his neck. He slid his hips forward reactively.

"Can you go? Please?" He said.

"Peter, get out." Her voice was a low growl. He rolled his eyes, but walked out and locked the basement door behind him. She stopped her kisses and leaned away from his neck completely.

"Mm, why'd you stop?"

"I'm sexed out, Derek. Exhausted. I was just trying to get him too uncomfortable to stay." Emily whispered, a grin on her features. He shook his head and pecked her on the lips.

"Sexed out, hmm?" He badgered her playfully. She nodded, sliding her palms up and down his torso over the top of his tee shirt.

* * *

The full moon was rising as Chris pulled in to the driveway of Kate's home. He ran his hand over his face tiredly before he got out. His young sister was standing just outside her door, arms crossed as she waited for him.

"Where's the last place you saw Emily?" He said the second she was in hearing range.

"Yeah, hello to you too, Chris."

"Kate, I'm not here for you. I'm here for her. Unlike you, I love our little sister." Chris snarled, "Tell me where you saw her or I'll just track her myself."

* * *

The wolf in his mate was dominant, now. Emily kept inhaling his scent while brushing little kisses across his cheeks, neck, shoulders. Derek closed his eyes and as she did this in a circuit. It was driving him mad. The desire to touch her was overwhelming, to push her back to the floor and bury himself in her, but Derek wanted to do what Emily wanted as well. So he didn't.

"Baby, please touch me. Anywhere." She whimpered, the sound vibrating against the underside of his jaw. He groaned. Her wolf called to his, in a way. Since she made the connection to him earlier. He slid both hands down to her lower-back and rested against her. Her yellow eyes fluttered shut for a moment before she jerked away roughly, landing hard against the cement floor. She was panting for air, facing away from him with her claws fully extended. Every single pore in her body was burning. Agonizing pain. She whimpered in pain, flattening her belly to the floor.

The moon had risen.

"Emily, look at me. EMILY!" Derek shouted. She rolled over, growling up at him. Being born a wolf, his control was phenomenal compared to hers. He lunged, landing on top of her. He gritted his teeth and pinned her wrists to the floor as she snapped at his face. His knees were digging into her thighs in attempt to keep her from leaving. He hated this. She was in pain; it hurt him as well.

"You love me, right? Think about that. Think about how much you love me. About what you did when you thought my mother and uncle were going to hurt me." He whispered, loud enough to be heard over her growls. Her thought process was almost lost in the onslaught of bloodlust, but she did. Her mind focused on him. His smile. The way his hands felt clenched on her hips. The first time Derek told her he loved her. All of it was slowly making this aching stop. The lust to tear into him was fading. He smiled broadly as her eyes faded back into their steely normal color.

"D-Derek?" She mumbled uncertainly.

"Yeah?"

"How did you do that?"

"It's called an Anchor. It's something meaningful. You bind yourself to it to keep the human side in control." He tucked a strand of sweaty hair behind her ear, keeping his eyes level with hers.

"What's yours?" She panted.

"Do you even really have to ask?" He murmured, "It's you." The smile he loved so much spread across her face as he said it. He was still pinning her to the floor, and the pressure of his knees in her thighs should've hurt. Had she been human, it would've. But she wasn't, and it didn't. The beta ripped one hand free to curl it around the back of his neck, closing her eyes and brushing her lips against his.

"I thought you were "sexed out", love." Derek murmured against her lips, trembling.

"I need something to distract me until the full moon's over." Her fingers were fumbling with his belt.

He was shaking, trying to focus on staying in control. That was difficult when his mate was unzipping his jeans and pushing them down his legs. Sighing, he kicked them off, tugged her hands back to his shoulders, and kissed her. Emily wound her skinny legs around his hips, instinctively now. Derek moaned when she reached down to pull her shirt over her head. This was normal, the only normal thing in either of their lives. Him and her. His hands slid down her sides until he found the button of her jeans and nearly ripped through it in his haste to get close to her. Emily laughed when he accidentally literally ripped the denim clear through. His eyes widened at his own actions.

"I'll buy you new ones," He mumbled. She pecked him on the lips re-assuringly several times.

"It's fine. I have plenty of clothes, Derek." His hazel eyes darkened on hers as she leaned back until her back was flat against the cement floor. He smiled, following her and laying half on top of her, keeping his weight off.

"I'm a werewolf, if you hurt me I'll heal." She snarled, pushing his arms so his weight crashed into her and he heard her groan.

* * *

The sun was rising by the time the Argents returned to Kate's home. Chris scratched the back of his neck in exhaustion as he entered the guest room, sitting down on the bed. How did his little sister leave no tracks? He assumed it was because she knew how they tracked wolves. She knew how to step and turn to leave no footprints. What Chris couldn't shake was why Emily was by the Nemeton.

* * *

Emily nuzzled Derek's bare chest, brushing her lips over his heart once. His arm was around her, keeping her close against him. He'd leaned up against the wall, now dressed in his jeans while Emily sat in her panties and his tee shirt; his way of covering her up from his jean-ripping.

"I love you," She mumbled, "Do you think we say it too much?"

"No. Not with our situation with your family." He replied, combing through her hair affectionately. The ring in his pocket got his attention again. Talia gave it to him before Emily and Peter returned; the engagement ring his dad gave her. They never married. He was her mate, and that was enough for his father. Talia, since she was so much stronger than his dad, passed her name to her children.

"Em?" He murmured a moment later, and she looked up at him, chin rested on his chest.

"What?"

"Remember how you said if I asked you, you'd marry me?" Emily nodded enthusiastically, "I'm asking. Emily Argent, will you marry me?"

"Of course!" She giggled, moving into his lap, "Of course I'll marry you!"

"Good, because I was hoping I wouldn't have to waste this," Derek pulled her ring from his pocket and slid it up her bony finger.

"It's gorgeous." Emily whispered, pecking her fiancè on the cheek, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I love you, Mrs. Hale." He brushed his nose across hers.

"I love you." She laced their fingers together, placing her forehead against his. It was overwhelming—how much she loved him, and the way being a wolf made it even stronger.

The door unlocked and Peter came in.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"Your sister called the police. They just showed up to take you back."


	5. Chapter 5

"How did they find me?" Emily mumbled into Derek's chest. She'd burst into tears the second Peter finished speaking and now stood in the middle of his bedroom, arms around his midsection.

"Caroline must've told them." he sighed, kissing the top of her head. Derek was holding her against him tightly, terrified to let her go. Back to getting the hell beat out of her. To calls at night on a disposable cell, without touching. That was what was going to suck; not being able to feel her next to him. To put his arm around her and keep her against his chest. Skin on skin. All of it.

"I don't want to leave." Her voice was rough with emotion.

"I don't want you to leave." He replied, his hands skimming up and down her arms—feeling as much skin as possible in a non-intimate way, "I'm going to miss sleeping next to you." She didn't speak, just cuddled closer to him in a natural response to his voice. She treasured the sound of his deep voice speaking because she didn't know how long it would be until she'd hear it again. In person, that is.

Derek gasped when Emily tilted her head up and covered his lips with hers. The heat of her small body against his soaked into his bones, pounding through his veins. Then he was lifting her—hands on her ass—and she pliantly wrapped her legs around him with her arms snaked around his broad shoulders. Desperation flowed from both their mouths as their lips slid and moved across. Her eyes closed, hips rocking forward and cracking against his.

"Why did that feel more like 'take my clothes off' than 'goodbye'?" He panted as he broke their kiss. She giggled, letting him spin her around a couple times before her legs untangled from his hips and she dropped onto the balls of her feet. Emily's lithe body slid down his on the way.

"Because it was," She teased, gray eyes locked with his as he groaned dejectedly, "I won't say goodbye to you. I'm not going anywhere. We're going to be together, Derek, I don't give a flying fuck what they think. I'm _yours_. Always." He kissed her lightly on the lips in reply.

"C'mon. I'll walk you to the cruiser." His eyes were dark, brimming with tears. She'd only seen Derek cry once—when he was telling her what he did to Paige. That was the first time they'd kissed. Tears were running down his cheeks, and she leaned in with her whole body and kissed him. Emily was already in love with him before he told her. Their fingers laced together as the pair left his bedroom and made their way down the stairs.

She changed out of his shirt into a fuchsia and red striped tank top and slipped on a pair of Laura's shorts that left little to the imagination. Her bag was slung over her shoulder. Deputy Stilinski watched the teenagers together. He'd seen teenage couples before, but watching them was different. The way they looked at each-other was the same way he looked at Claudia and she looked at him. He knew Emily well enough to know the difference between lust and love for her. She babysat Stiles and Makenna—his eleven year old daughter. When she stepped down, Laura threw her arms around the girl's shoulders, sniffling.

"I don't want you to go. She's going to hurt you."

"I know. I'll be okay, Laura, I can handle it now." She replied, arm around the Hale's shoulders while the other stayed at her side—squeezing Derek's fingers. The Deputy quirked an eyebrow. This family didn't take the girl. They obviously loved her. Each of them embraced her as if they didn't want to let go. Talia was the last to hug her. Squeezing her tightly, arms around the young girl's shoulders.

"Please, call me the second anything happens to you. I'll come and they won't be able to harm you again, understood? I'm your Alpha now. Something happens to you, it's on me." She set her hands on either side of her future daughter-in-law's face warningly, looking at her eyes for understanding, "I don't think Derek can handle losing you, and neither can the rest of us."

Tears brimmed in the teenager's eyes as she nodded at her Alpha's words. Then she turned to Derek. He bit his bottom lip nervously.

"You can't do that. You bite your bottom lip and it makes me want to bite it too. I don't think that's appropriate in front of your family and the deputy." She hissed. He immediately released his lip and instead pulled her into a kiss. It didn't matter that there were five people watching them. He was bound and fucking determined to show everyone she was his. After a moment, she leaned away and kissed the end of his nose.

"_Je t'aime_, Emily, _plus que ma propre vie._" He said quietly.

"_Je t'aime plus,_" She replied before she stepped away from him and nodded curtly to the deputy. Derek stared at the floor, not wanting the image of her walking away in his head. It wasn't enough to stop the aching that settled in his chest. He was letting her walk back into a situation that she was going to get the shit beat out of her for running. For coming to him when she was hurting. If it weren't for him, Emily would've died. Gerard would've killed her. John held open the door for the teenager and let her sit in the passenger side, surprising her. Halfway to her home, he stopped on the side of the road.

"Emily, why did you run?" He asked, quietly. She drew her knees to her chest, crossed her arms on top of them, and set her chin on top, refusing to make eye-contact.

"My father came into town." She whispered, "I hate it when he comes into town."

"Why?" John's voice cracked. He knew. His heartbeat changed.

"You know exactly why."

"Talia showed me pictures of your injuries. How long has he been beating you?"

"I didn't say anyone beat me, Deputy. I tripped on the stairs in my house when I got in a fight with Gerard."

"Jesus Christ, Emily! You're defending them? I can't do anything to make it stop if you don't tell me!" He ran his hand through his blonde hair.

"There's nothing to tell. I tripped. I'm fine. Just take me home." She answered in staccato words, brushing the accusation off. A part of her asked herself why she was lying for _them_. But then another part of her, the intelligent part, reminded her that if she told the truth, she'd be placed in Foster Care and never see Chris again. Chris was the only other source of light in her world besides Derek. Her older brother somehow grew up the opposite of Kate: he had a heart. He was the example she based her choices upon. Well, aside from taking the Bite.

"I hate doing this…but I can't stop you from going home." He sighed, pursing his lips as he drove. She spun the ring around her left finger, playing with it with a smile on her face. Distant. Mind elsewhere. Anything to get the thought of what was going to happen to her when she entered that house. When they pulled up, all happiness in the past 31 days was gone. Replaced by ice-cold fear in her veins. Was Gerard here? What was he going to do?

"Thank you, Mr. Stilinski. Tell Claudia hello for me." She curtly said, sliding out of her seat and leaning in to the open window.

"You call me if you decide to tell me the truth, Em." He murmured, green eyes serious.

"Yes, sir." She nodded. Walking to the door felt like walking to the gallows. Her fingers trembled as she opened the front door. Taking a deep breath, Emily stepped inside and shut the heavy white door behind her.

"Emily," There was a soft breath and strong arms were around her shoulders. She inhaled and the scent of her brother's cologne drifted over her. Chris. Chris was here. For her. She hugged him back fiercely, keeping careful track of how hard she held onto him. She was sobbing instantly. He stroked her hair, lips pressed against the crown of her head.

"Ssh, I'm here. I'm here." A great deal of her childhood was spent with him; until she was eight. Emily was eight, Kate was thirteen, and he was eighteen and out the door.

"I miss you," She choked out, clinging onto him. There was a lump in his throat. This was killing him. Yes, he came and saw her every once in a while, but she was always healed by the time he got there. His only proof of his father's beatings were memories, of how he behaved. Of how he justified it because of his training.

"I miss you too, Little One."

"How's Allison?" She sniffled, wiping her nose with a tissue from the side table beside the door. He smiled down at her, pulling his phone out of his pocket and playing with it until he found a picture. She squinted at it and covered her mouth in shock. Allison was beautiful. She looked like Emily's mother; long black curls, fair skin, light brown eyes. Beautiful.

"She's so beautiful!"

"Thank you." He lazily draped an arm around her shoulders and led her into the kitchen; to where her favorite take-out sat.

"Where is she?" She blurted out before she could control it.

"I asked Kate to stay out until you've gone to sleep tonight. I don't trust her with you. Not when she's so furious."

"She hits me." Emily bluntly said, "So does Gerard. He beats the hell out of me."

"Kate hits you because it's all she knows how to do. But he…he has no excuse."

"Neither does she. Hitting me every time I don't do what she wants—what you _all_ want for my future—isn't fair. It's wrong! What you do, it's wrong! They're living, breathing beings, Chris."

"If you weren't dating one, you'd understand."

"I'm not just dating one, I'm engaged to him. I love him. I've been with him this entire month; his family. Not once did they do anything to harm eachother or me. When they got angry, they fucking talked it out, not beat the shit out of one another." She was blunt, now. Angry. Her heart was picking up and she took a deep breath to settle it. To reign it in. _Derek. Think about Derek. _It relaxed her. Chris, however, was staring at the intricate ring on her finger in shock. Blinking.

"You—You're only 16!" He sputtered out, "You can't get married."

"I'm a teenager, but I'm not a child. I haven't been a child since you left and Gerard hit me for the first time. I've been an adult since. I know what I want and it's him."

"Who is he?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not telling you. I don't trust you not to tell them."

"You're going to get hurt, Emily! My best friend-"

"Don't." She growled, "Don't you dare bring Charlie into this. You shot him. In front of me."

"He was trying to kill both of us. What did you want me to do? Werewolves are monsters, Emil-"

"Shoot me, then." She interrupted, arms crossed.

"What?"

"I'm a wolf, Chris. Shoot me. Kill me."

"No. No, no, no. You didn't." He backed up slowly, shaking his head, "I can't believe this! How could you be so stupid?! God, Emily!"

"DON'T!" She shouted, slamming her hands against his chest, "You do _not_ get to do this. Not you. I thought…I thought you'd trust me. That you actually cared enough to trust me and help me through this."

"Why would you do this to yourself? You're going to hurt people."

"Actually, I'm not. I didn't hunt at all my first full moon. You know why? I was in control. I love my fiancé so much that I focused on him." Partly, it was a lie. She wasn't in control at first. Chris sighed, his hands hiding his face as he sunk into a chair.

"Go to bed. Take your dinner and go to bed. I can't deal with this right now."

She obeyed silently, halfway up the stairs before he spoke again, knowing she could hear him.

"I won't tell them."

A relieved sigh came from her throat as she made her way into her old room. Emily scowled at it. It wasn't home, anymore. Not after Derek's bedroom became her refuge, became her home. Beside him on the bed, in his arms. That was what she wanted. Not a large room with lavender colored sheets and white walls, mounds of clothes and shit. She just wanted him close.

It was hours later—after eating her orange chicken—and she still lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Her heart jumped out of her chest when she heard the lock on her window being opened. She dropped to the floor and hid from the intruder. Until his scent hit her nose. She stood up and stared at the outline of him in disbelief. It took her all of five seconds to leap from her place into his arms. Derek laughed at the reaction, catching her without hesitation.

She kept her entire body wrapped around him, hiding her face.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." She breathed between kisses. His eyes were dark, the same look that made her knees weak since they made love the first time. She reached down and stripped her shirt and shorts. His jaw dropped. She wasn't wearing a bra.

"Holy hell, Emily." He groaned, grasping her face with both hands as he kissed her.

* * *

He kept his arms around her as she lifted her hips and rolled them onto their sides. She smiled at him, fingers dancing along his jaw.

"Kate shouldn't be home for at least an hour. My brother asked her not to come back until I'm sleeping." She murmured.

"Which brother?"

"Chris. Alexander is still in Georgia."

"Hm. Is he staying for a while?"

"Yeah. He's, uh, trying to process what I am, now. I trust him."

"Then so do I..." He smiled at her pleased expression with his sentence, "I have another question for you. Laura told me about Prom. How are we going to go?"

"I can get a fake date to take me. A human."

"Okay. Not sure I like another guy with you, but it'll work." He sighed, rubbing circles into her skin, "I have to leave soon. Safety."

"God, I hate this." She whispered, "I can't sleep without you."

"I brought you two things that might help a little." He reached into his jeans' back pocket and pulled out two fabric things. A pillowcase and one of his shirts. One to sleep in, one to sleep on.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mrs. Raymind, may I please use the restroom?" Emily asked as she watched Derek pass her classroom and slip into Coach's office.

"Go right ahead." The elderly English teacher said. In three strides, she was out the door and sneaking into the small office. A laugh came from her throat as he lifted her up, set her on the desk, and stepped between her legs.

Her laugh was cut short when his mouth met hers with crushing force. Her arms wound around his shoulders, fingers kneading into them as she gripped those muscles to keep herself pressed against him. Derek bit her bottom lip hard enough to break the skin, sucking it into his mouth and licking. It was going to heal in seconds. Another full moon was up ahead, one where the other Packs were coming to celebrate it. The Wolf Moon. It was affecting him more than her this time. Her fingers threaded into his hair, as always. It felt good between her fingers; soft and silky. Emily tugged roughly on his hair and he moaned loudly at the pain it rolled through him. Pain felt good; distracted him from the thought of seeing the Alpha that bit Paige. Her heart was pounding against both their chests, causing his breaths to shorten as he unbuckled her jeans.

"We're in the coach's office. Do you know how many people come in here to have sex? We're not going to be like that. I'm sorry, baby, but I'm not having a quickie on Coach Finstock's desk." She panted as his mouth assaulted her neck with kisses and lovebites.

"Fine. Wall?" He growled into her skin, "I want you so bad, Em, and you want me too. You have since second period, I could smell it when you left the room." Her stomach tightened into a fist at the sound of his voice as she tugged him back into a harsh kiss before she pushed him back enough to hop off the desk. His eyes went wide as Emily dropped onto her knees in front of him.

"Baby, what are you doing?"

"Trying something new." She grumbled, unbuckling his belt, undoing his jeans and shoving them down to his knees along with his boxers. Derek's heart stopped when she took a deep breath and took him as far into her mouth as she could. She flattened her tongue after swirling it around him, bobbing her head. He groaned, fingers laced into her blonde hair.

"Emily," He moaned and she beamed around him at the reaction she was getting from him. His head fell back the faster she moved until her mouth filled with salty, sticky liquid that she quickly swallowed before wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand.

"Where did you learn how to do that?"

"I didn't learn it anywhere. I just wanted to help you out a little bit. It should hold you over until the Pack meeting tomorrow." She shrugged, pulling his pants back up and re-doing them up.

He kissed her again, languidly. She heard Derek's growl when he tasted himself on her.

"I don't know if anything is ever going to 'hold me over' until I can be with you without us having to sneak around." He said suddenly.

"I'm trying. Chris has stayed at the house, helping me—every time I have the urge to strike Kate, he takes me out sparring. When I can be in a room with her without shifting, he'll let me out in the open," she murmured, taking both his hands and interlocking their fingers, "Your mother's taking me to meet the Packs tonight."

"What? No! I don't want him anywhere near you!"

"Derek-"

"I can't...I can't lose you." He mumbled as she pressed into him, face hidden just above his heart.

"I told you I'm not leaving. Derek, nothing is going to take me away from you. I love you."

"You know I love you too, but..."

"But? Are you dumping me or something?"

"NO! God, no. I'm just saying, you can't promise me that you won't get hurt or killed." He replied, "I hate you living there."

"I know. I'm fine, okay? I've got to go back to class. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then. I love you."

"You too." And she was gone, calmly disappearing into her classroom as if she hadn't just given him a blow job in Coach's office.

Later that night, she sat on the bench just below her bay window, waiting for Talia to show herself. She'd dressed in a flora dress with her engagement ring hanging down her chest on a chain, hair pulled back.

When a large ebony wolf stalked into her yard, she threw herself over the edge and landed feet in front of her. Talia nipped at her heel before she took off: leading the young beta behind her. They ran until they reached an old distillery, where the Alpha shifted and dressed herself in front of the others before she asked her to enter. She calmly and quietly moved to Talia's right flank.

"Who is this?"

"My daughter."

"No, she's an Argent. I've seen her." Kali snarled, ready to kill. Kali, she realized, was the one she'd seen kill her pack.

"This is my son's mate. That makes her my daughter." Talia claimed vehemently.

Kate smirked. Now she knew. Emily was with Derek Hale. She had proof. It was time to call Gerard.

* * *

**Prom—April 2005 (4 Months Later)**

Caroline slipped her hand into Emily's as they stood just outside the entrance to the school, the lights inside flashing as they could hear the bass. It echoed through her chest.

"You ready for this?" Care asked, playing with a lose piece of hair that fell out of place of her best friend's updo.

"Yeah. I am." Emily smiled, walking alongside her until they made their way into the gym. A giggle came from Caroline's throat when her boyfriend Xander, one of Derek's teammates, picked her up and spun her around.

"You look amazing! Hey, Em. You look great too. Derek's around here, somewhere. I think I saw him by coach." He kissed Caroline on the temple and tugged her onto the dancefloor. Emily hooked one set of fingers around the opposing wrists and made her way across the room until she found the table where water was set up to drink. Good. She felt like her throat was made of cotton.

"You know, it's not exactly fair to attack me by looking like this," Derek's voice said in her ear as his arms snaked around her body from behind, lips against her ear. She laughed, letting her head tilt to one side as he peppered her neck with light kisses. His arms stayed around her waist as she turned around to face him. She stood taller with her stilettos, her eyes level with his nose now instead of his chin. He frowned at the realization.

"Don't get me wrong, those heels are sexy as hell on you but I don't like you being this tall." He whispered, tucking the lose hair behind her ear.

"Mm, I like it. I love being able to kiss you without having to go on my tiptoes." She replied, easily pecking him on the lips for emphasis. She leaned back and raked her eyes over him. A dark black suit with a black tie and white shirt.

"You look incredible." Emily breathed, her heart skipping a beat.

"So do you." He replied, looking her over again. Her dress was short, a mix of black and white with diamonds studded across the chest and stomach area, "Dance with me?"

"Of course," She answered. He released her waist to take both her hands and back into the throng of people. She wound both arms around his shoulders, swaying with him to music. His fingers laced together at the small of her back. That's when she saw it. A lipstick mark on his cheekbone, another one on his jaw. She didn't kiss him there.

"Who the hell is that from?" She growled, stepping out of his grasp and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Emily, calm down. It's not what you're thinking it is."

"Really? Do explain it to me then."

"Lily Steele asked me to dance, so I did. She was drunk off her ass and she kissed me. I pushed her away and she fought me on it."

"Lily? As in the girl that's been trying to get in your pants since we got together?" She arched one eyebrow angrily, searching the room for the human. The cheerleader bitch.

"Calm down! Em, you can't attack her. She's human; you'd rip her apart." He restrained her with his arms, the way he'd held onto her when he saw her at the table with the water.

"That's the point!"

"Stop it! You can't act like this, not anymore. It's been 7 months, Em." Derek let out a gasp of surprise when her elbow smashed into his diaphragm. She'd never, ever, actually struck him-even in training sessions. She rounded on him, eyes burning gold as she stared over at him.

"I'm sorry I'm such a burden. Maybe you just should've let me die." She grumbled, turning and walking toward the exit.

"Emily!" He wasn't letting her walk away from him. Derek couldn't handle it if Emily was ending things. He caught up to her outside, closing his fingers around her upper arm to stop her motion. She was crying, sniffling in a way that made his chest hurt.

"Let me go, Derek. You obviously would rather be here with someone else. Someone normal." Her voice was broken, sadder than he'd ever heard her.

"Baby, no. I want you. I've only ever wanted you. Lily is just some stupid girl that likes me. It's not my fault."

"No, but that's what you like. Human and weak. Something you can save and protect. I'm not like that anymore, so you don't want me as much."

"Emily, that's not-"

"Please, just let me go!" She cried, jerking away from him. He was crying now too. Both of them were too emotional, both overwhelmed with everything that seemed to be roadblocking them. She kicked off her shoes, pulled her hair out of the updo and running as hard as she could. Into the woods. She just wanted Laura. Laura had become her best friend since she moved out. Someone to talk to besides Derek. She'd seen her leaving the dance and assumed she'd be at home. She stopped short when she saw the outline of Kate circling the house. It was the night of the Eclipse. She knew that, it was why she was planning on spending the night here with Derek.

"What are you doing?!" She cried, causing her sister to straighten up. The moon was being covered, and Kate ignored her.

"Now." The others with her ignited matches and threw them. Emily's world stopped. Fire. The Hale house was being swallowed by fire.

"NO!" She did the only thing she could think of when she saw hands reaching through the basement bars. She kneeled down and thrusted her arm into the flame. Agony. It was Talia looking back at her.

"Don't...Cora's upstairs. Get her out. Please."

"Talia, no. I-I can't leave you..."

"GO!" Her alpha commanded. She didn't hesitate, she ran through the front door and into Cora's bedroom. She was asleep. Her hands rested on Cora's shoulders as she shook her away.

"We have to go, Cora. C'mon. Put your arms around me." Emily whispered, lifting her youngest packmate and setting her on her hip. She carried Cora through the house until they reached the woods. She was trying to get her away, from everything. There was the sound of an arrow being released and pain exploded through Emily's calf. She dropped to the ground, Cora falling out of her arms.

"Emily!" She screamed when Kate came closer. Emily jerked the youngest to her feet.

"Cora, run! I want you to run until you find another pack." She pushed her and the eleven year old ran on all fours.

Kate flipped her younger sister over, gun aimed in her face. Her heart weighed down. She shifted the barrel upward until it leveled with Emily's temple.

"This is Derek's fault."

_That's when Kate shot her little sister._


	7. Chapter 7

Sheriff Stilinski finds her two days later, a crumpled mess on the forest floor. Blonde hair matted with her own blood. His fingers press into her neck, finding her pulse.

"Oh My God. Call a bus, now! She's still alive." He cried. John examined the bullet wound in her head. It looked mild. How it got to the edge of her skull, he didn't understand. The ambulance pulled up into the edge of the woods.

"Another one from the Hale fire?"

"Yes. She has short 3rd degree burns on her left arm, bullet wound to the cerebral cortex." He spoke to the EMT as they moved the gurney underneath her. Her pretty white dress wasn't so white anymore. It was brown and red with dirt and filth and blood. He stayed beside her as the ambulance drove to Beacon Hills Memorial. Peter wasn't at his comatose state, not yet. When they wheeled her in, Laura was beside him in the emergency room. Even though every cell and fiber ached, he bolted upright in his bed in horror. They'd stopped in the same room as him; put her on the other bed. Derek was asleep in the waiting room.

"Emily!" Laura switched to the other bedside.

"Ma'am, I need you to step back." An EMT demanded. She listened, quietly and covered her mouth with her hand. The inside of Emily's forearm was the same as half of Peter; burnt and scalded. But the blood, all over her head and her face. What the hell?

"Laura, come over here." Stilinski walked her into the corner.

"Do you have an idea what happened to her?"

"No. I…I thought that maybe she'd gone home. Her and Derek got in a fight at Prom and she left. On foot. Oh God, please don't talk to my brother, I don't think he can handle seeing her like this or knowing." She choked out, staring at Derek's mate.

Emily's heart-rate was normal, but she wasn't waking up. She was healing, but her eyes refused to open. She was comatose, from the Wolf's Bane bullet. A tube was pushed into her throat to even out her breaths, two IV's with nutrients and water were pushed into her veins as the bullet was removed. Laura stood, tears brimming in her brown eyes as she watched. Why wasn't she waking up?

In the waiting room, Derek sat up and buried his head in his hands, feeling broken. His soul and heart had been ripped from his chest and thrown in a deep, dark hole. Emily was dead. Torched, with his family. God, if he'd just told that stupid girl at the dance no to dancing, she would've been with him all night. Right now, she'd be in his arms. He'd lift her into his lap and hold onto her. But, he fucked up. Then his sister sat down beside him, hugging him tightly.

"I ruined everything!" He sobbed as Laura let him hide his face in her shoulder, "It's my fault. If I hadn't let Emily go…"

"Ssh, Derek. Stop it. She wouldn't want you to do this."

Emily hears them. She's floating through a sea of light, white surrounding her. Alone. Alone. Derek lets out a sob. _No. Don't cry. I love you, I don't want you to cry! Stop! I'm here!_ She tried to scream, but her lips wouldn't move. She tried to pry her eyes open. Too heavy. Every sense was running besides her eyes, and her physical body wouldn't move. She could feel the blanket under her arms—it was fucking itchy.

All she wanted was Derek. To apologize. To take back the last thing she said to him: _"Please let me go!"_

Her terror was impossible to overcome at the realization that she was virtually trapped in her own body. Her own subconscious. It took her a long time to realize she was in a coma. To pull the images of right before she lost everything—Cora running as she asked her to do, Kate flipping her, Kate aiming the gun at her, _"This is Derek's fault."_, then shooting. Pain. Instant pain. And then nothingness. Just this sea. Floating. Floating. Floating.

Floating alone for the next six years.


	8. Chapter 8

**PART TWO—THE DARKNESS WITHIN**

"I have wrestled with death. It is the most unexciting contest you can imagine. It takes place in an impalpable greyness, with nothing underfoot, with nothing around, without spectators, without clamour, without glory, without the great desire of victory, without the great fear of defeat, in a sickly atmostphere of tepid scepticism, without much belief in your own right, and still less in that of your adversary."

― Joseph Conrad, _Heart of Darkness_


	9. Chapter 9

The first time she opens her eyes, Chris is sitting beside her on her hospital bed with Allison on the other side. She feels the weight of his hand in hers, and her niece's head on her shoulder. She's felt them before. Felt, yes, not seen. She blinks to adjust, after all she's been virtually blind for the past six years. Her heart rate speeds up and brown eyes meet hers.

"Dad! Dad! She's awake!" Allison shouted, causing him to fall onto the floor and then meet his little sister's beautiful gray eyes.

"Hi, Chris." She says, her voice rough as if gravel is caught in her throat. He pulls her head to his shoulder and crushes her to his chest. His arms stay tight around her waist as he kisses her hair.

"Hi, Em."

"Is this…Is this Allison?" She breathes, inspecting her niece. Chris nods at her enthusiastically, she covers her mouth with one hand as tears stream down her face. She's beautiful; just like Emily and Chris's mother.

"How long have I been gone?" Emily asks, drawing her knees to her chest and setting her chin on top of them. The engagement ring still stays on her finger, still beautiful and intricate.

"You need to rest, let the doctors look at you-"

"Chris. Tell me." She gets straight to the point.

"Six years. You've been here for six years, Emily." She hid her face as she started sobbing. She felt the hot tears against the fabric of her jeans.

"Where's Derek?" The words tumble out before she can stop them. He sighs, hanging his head. Her heartbeat is galloping out of control. Her eyes flashed gold, vision sharper. Allison sat down and threw her arms around her Aunt's shoulders, trying to calm her. It worked, because Emily refused to hurt her. She inhaled, learning her family member's scent and committing it to memory.

"Sis…"

"What?!"

"Derek hasn't ever come and see you. Look, I don't think he knows that you lived through the fire." She rolled over, pleased at how painless it was to do it, and hid her face in her pillow. Sleep overtook her. Even opening her eyes and speaking for a few moments was too much for her. Shifting took much of her energy.

* * *

_She's kissing him. He's not a teenage boy anymore and she's not a little girl. Her legs wrap around his waist the same way they used to. Her back meets the rough wood, his body flattening hers against it. His hands move everywhere at once, traveling across her torso. She throws her head back, the heat from his skin lighting her insides. Her legs squeeze his hips to spur his actions on. She reaches down to pull the v-neck over her head, using his shoulders to keep her steady as she tosses it on top of her jacket. His eyes flicker from her chest back to hers._

_ "You're sure you want to do this? I don't want to make you do anyth-" Her lips cut him off, bruising force._

_ "Does that answer your question?" Her voice's dripping honey, seductive. He keeps one arm wound around her lowerback as the other hand slides under her ass to start tugging his shirt up. They manage, together, to pull it out from her tight grip on his hips to toss it onto the growing pile of clothing in the corner of the distillery. Not exactly classy, but out of the way the pack. Her lips hunt down his jaw and strong neck hungrily. He growls, untangling her legs from him and unbuttoning her jeans, shucking them down her long legs. She willingly kicks them off, with the other articles of fabric. Her arms both wind themselves around his broad shoulders, one set of fingers scraping against the back of his neck, scraping against the skin __**affectionately**__. She pulls him back to her, kissing his lips fiercely now. _

_ He sucks in a deep breath, stroking her long silky hair before tangling his fingers in it. His mate was moving open-mouthed kisses across his collarbone. Her eyes flashed gold when they met his. One hand slides up her arm from her bony wrist until he reaches the junction of her neck and shoulder, cupping the skin. The other splays across her hipbone as he backs her up against the cold metal. Fingertips leave light touches and caresses across his tan skin, kneading his biceps._

_ "I want you." Her sigh isn't missed by him, "Derek, please."_

_ The sound of his name coming from her lips is enough to weaken his resolve. He unclips her bra expertly, anchoring his forefingers into the string sides of her panties and tugging them down. Then, she's gone. He can't see her, but he can smell smoke. So much smoke. She screams for him to help her, to save her. When he finds her, Kate has her by the hair—soaking her body in gasoline. Before he can fight, or say anything, she lights her on fire._

Derek jerks up from his place on a bench in the old train, cold sweat soaking his body. Short pants come as his breaths, his hands running through his sweat-soaked hair. He hasn't dreamed about Emily in years. Not since she died. He runs his hand over the area of his throat he'd felt her lips so realistically in the dream. He slumps back in his seat, wiping sweat from his brow. Her moaning his name, pleading with him to take her. His body reacts, still. How is he ever going to get over her?

He's supposed to meet Scott, to decide what to do about the Kanima, at Stilinski's house. It's easier to meet somewhere neutral. He steps around Erica and Boyd, who are twined together on the floor innocently, and pushes a blanket higher up on Isaac's shoulders as he traipses out of the warehouse.

Stiles stops him outside.

"What're you doing here?"

"I'm supposed to meet Sco-"

"At his house. I thought he called you. Look, someone really important to my dad and I just woke up from being in a coma for six years."

"Who?" He asks instantly.

"Why do you care?" Derek purses his lips at Stiles, "Emily Argent." The Alpha feels his whole body stiffen, eyes wide.

"No. Stiles, Emily…died…She was in the fire…" He stuttered out.

"Derek, I've visited her. She's been in a coma. Now, get the hell out of my way." The Human clambers into the jeep and peels out of the yard as he drives to the hospital. Derek sinks to his knees, still in shock. His mate…She's alive?

* * *

Alexander walks into her room seconds after the sheriff, followed by Gerard. Alex physically reminds her of Chris, but more powerful. Older. Her eldest brother smiles as he kisses her cheek. When she sees Gerard, her heart races harder than ever before, scrambling backward on her bed and glaring at him coldly.

"Get out of my room!" The girl shouts. She hasn't aged much, now physically only 20 instead of 23. She looks like a baby next to her brothers.

"Now that's no way to treat your father."

"Father? Father is not a name you've earned. You're a sperm donor to my mother you old sick fuck!" She tosses a glass at his head, now ornery. An ornery 23-Year-Old Werewolf who's blazing yellow eyes started to fill with red when she looked only at him. No way. A true Alpha. His daughter was a true Alpha.

"Mr. Argent, I suggest you leave. You're upsetting her and she needs to relax if she's going to be able to leave," Sheriff Stilinski says, nodding toward the exit. He shakes his head but does, angrily.

"Who did this to you, Em? I won't ask again." He whispers. She's spent two hours clammed up about who shot her. Who tried to kill her.

"Kate." She mumbles, "Kate shot me...Where is she?" Everyone in the room took a sharp intake of breath at once, sharing uneasy glances.

"She…died. Someone murdered her by ripping out her throat in the old Hale house."

"Good. Bitch deserved it." She snarled, "Who else in my life died?"

"Mom." Chris mumbled, "She had a heart-attack."

"I hate to tell you this, Emily, but…Laura Hale died. She was cut in half by Peter Hale."

"NO!" She let out an anguished sound, hiding her face in her hands as she sobbed harder than ever, "Not Laura. How long ago?"

"About six months."

"And Derek?"

"In Beacon Hills."

"Then I want to leave. When am I allowed to leave? I want to go to Georgia, with Alex. I can live by myself, but if Derek's here than I don't want to be." Her heart was hard, now. Dark. He didn't care, not really. He broke her heart indirectly. She sniffled.

"I can take you. I'll be glad to have you in town with me." Alex smiles, ruffling her hair.

"But, Em. This is your home." Chris argued.

"No, _he_ used to be my home. Not now. He didn't even come see me. Not in six years."


	10. Chapter 10

Derek tries to figure out which hospital, since Stiles didn't say. After the initial shock of it all, he forces himself to stand and sprints to the old Hale house—where Peter stands, waiting. He grasps him by the front of the shirt and shoves him up against the wall.

"Did you know that Emily's alive?"

"Yes. Laura knew too," His fist slammed into the bridge of Peter's nose, sending him sliding down the wall. He kicked his uncle in the ribs before picking him back up.

"Which hospital?"

"Beacon Hills Memorial." He snarled, watching his nephew sprint out of the house and toward the hospital. Em. She was all he thought about on the way. What would she look like now? God, what she must think of him.

* * *

The door to Alex's Chevy closed behind her and she leaned out to take her brother's hands. He kept a tight hold on her fingers as he kept eye contact with her.

"You call me the second you get out of Beacon Hills, alright?" He whispered, quietly.

"Okay, Chris. I will." She replied, quietly. Her eyes trained in the distance behind him, on a figure making it's way into the hospital quickly. Lean and Fast. She inhaled sharply and Derek's scent slammed into her like a brick wall.

"Go. Alex, get me the hell out of here." She whispered. It's a little late, Derek, She thought sourly.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, guys. Just so this doesn't confuse anyone, this takes place at the end of season two. From here on out, it's AU Season 3._

**April 2013**

-Tiffany, Georgia-

Emily bends down over the table to clean it as she piles on the empty dishes on the tray. The music makes her sway as she half-dances around the closed bar. She sets the tray down for her co-worker and half rips her apron off of her. She flips her hair over her shoulder and makes her way into the backroom to her locker. 08-17-88. Derek's birthday. She sighed in annoyance. She didn't choose her locker combo, it was just the padlock they'd given her.

"Hey, Emily." A voice said from the doorframe. Emily was still tugging her jeans up, narrowing her gray eyes at him with a bobby pin between her teeth. Devon smiled, watching his Alpha get dressed. She was gorgeous—every man in the pack noticed—but they also all knew her heart was elsewhere. It probably always would be. That didn't mean Devon couldn't stare at her.

"Hey, Dev. What are you doing here?" She fired back, pinning her hair up into a bun. Her hair was always pulled up now.

"Came to make sure you get home safe. We heard a new Pack come into town last night while Helen and I were on patrol." She pressed her lips into a hard line at his words and stomped out to where he was.

"Why wasn't I told this as soon as you arrived at the house?" She snarled, eyes flashing red at him as she bared her fangs angrily at him.

"You were asleep. Emily, you've worked forty hours and it's only Wednesday. You're overworked and you need to sleep if you're going to be any help to us as an Alpha." He replied, submitting by lowering his head with a whimper.

Gradually, she relaxed and tugged her 'Beacon Hills Lacrosse' tee shirt Stiles sent her when she gave him her address. Him and Allison were supposed to come visit her this summer. Stay with her. Scott would've as well, but changed his mind both because of Allison's plans and because of summer school. Chris changed his mind and instead decided to take Allison to France for the summer. So, now she was only in charge of babysitting the flailing human.

"Alright. How much do we know about this Pack? Numbers?"

"Has to be an Alpha pack. They masked their scents. We left before we could see them." They were walking side-by-side on the sidewalk down the road. Her heels clacked against the cement as they made their way through the empty streets. Tiffany reminded her of New Orleans, on a much smaller scale. It was a refreshing break from Beacon Hills. She loved this, the smaller version of Bourbon Street.

"I'll speak to my Emissary and see what he knows. See what information he can give me, if any." She said calmly, linking her fingers through his elbow. Devon became her second in command, in a way. Emily noticed that they listened to him nearly as much as they listened to her. He never contradicted her orders, either.

Emily took long strides that he easily kept up with. She'd physically changed when she moved to Tiffany three months ago. She was thinner, unhealthily so. There was zero fat whatsoever, just her muscles with skin stretched too tightly over it. She dyed her hair darker, now a chocolate color. Her skin was tanned, making her gray eyes darker. There was dark purple bags beneath her eyes.

At the sound of a machine gun being drawn, her hand met his sternum and she slammed him against a wall around the corner—in an alleyway. Her finger pressed against his lips to shut him up.

"Shush." She whispered, "It's hunters."

"Your brother?"

"No. This one smells different."

"Emily, you have a deal with them. They don't hurt our Pack, we don't hurt them remember?" He tried to calm her down, rubbing her arms to calm her. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on end.

"Stay here. If I'm not back in eleven minutes, you go home and you put the others in lock down." She whispered, before rounding the corner and stepping out into the pouring rain. She could see them, grouped around their victim. Prowess in their strong shoulders, a rival family. She inhaled and her heart nearly beat right out of her chest. The scent was rain, and woodsy, and cologne rolled together. It wasn't one of her betas…It was Derek. His scent was intoxicating her—making her braver than she'd usually be. Brave and Stupid.

"STOP!" She roared, power evident in her voice. All six men rounded and then immediately relaxed their grips on their weapons. All of them relaxed, nodding once in respect.

"He's one of mine," She lied, "He's off limits. If you've harmed him, I will personally rip your throats out, understood?" Her gray eyes glinted maliciously.

"Yes, ma'am." The youngest quipped up first. Their leader had been trying to get his hand down Emily's pants since the deal with the hunters was made. He smirked, crossing the quad until his body brushed hers.

"Are you sure he's yours, little wolf? Because I might just be jealous of this one." He stroked her jaw with his thumb. Her skin crawled and she slapped his hand away from her.

"He. Is. Mine." She snarled, the possessive Alpha protecting her pack. At least, that's what she told herself. Emily's reason _for _defending Derek was still unclear to her. Anglen released her at once and pursed his lips at the Alpha lying on the ground watching silently.

"Fine. But you can't keep claiming every wolf that passes through her. I know you aren't that strong of an Alpha, Emily." His face drifted close to hers, "Until next time, little wolf."

And they walked away. She took a deep, shuddering breath before she kneeled down beside Derek on the cool cement. Rain was pelting both of their backs as Derek sat up and mirrored her position. Their knees brushed when he did this, sending electricity through her.

"Der…ek?" She murmured. He looked so different. More developed in his shoulders and biceps now. He was lean, all muscle. Stubble covered his cheeks and chin, dark as his hair. His lips were still the same; full and made her want to lean in and bite the bottom one. She met his eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Those damn eyes. Hazel, dancing on the green side, hidden by thick lashes.

"Emily? Do you know how long I've been looking for you?" He whispered, his large hand coming to cup her cheek. Her stomach swooped. She jerked away from him and sprung to her feet. Derek sighed, moving until his chest was pressed against her back. He couldn't help himself; the desire to touch her, the natural feel of it was too strong.

"What are you doing here, Derek?" Her voice was small.

"I wanted to see you. I…" He stopped himself when her Beta stalked toward them, snarling.

"No, Dev. It's fine. He's…He's here to see me. This is Derek." Devon growled at the name, having let her tell him what happened with him, "Derek, this is my best friend, Devon."

"Hello." Derek murmured, curtly.

"Hello." Devon responded. It was a pissing contest. Fighting over territory. Except Derek was the only one that really had that right. Since she _was_ his. His eyes flashed red warningly at the older man. She rolled her eyes and then went ramrod straight. Derek was bleeding. She turned to face him, narrowing her eyes.

"You're bleeding." Emily murmured, quietly. Just because she was angry at and heartbroken about Derek didn't mean this didn't concern her. She felt like puking, like cramps on her period sick. He was swaying, trying to stay upright and ward off Devon. _Same old Derek. _She sighed, ducking under his arm and drawing it around her shoulders. He rested his weight fully on her grudgingly. Derek let out a sharp intake of breath when her hand rested at the side of his torso. Emily still made his entire body ache for her with one singular touch. She helped him limp until she found the house for her Pack. She'd purchased it with money Alex gave her for it.

"Dev, help me get him up the stairs once we get inside." She whispered. He didn't want to, but he obeyed and opened the door for her. Emily hated how much she liked his arm around her.

"Where are you taking him?"

"My room." She growled as the pair half carried him up the spiral staircase. Once she was steady on the landing, Derek tried to help her and she snarled warningly. He felt like a child being scolded. She lurched sideways and swung open the door to her room. Derek's throat went dry as she asked her Beta to keep the others away. She sat him on her large bed as she strode across the wooden slats in the floor and bent down to dig through her closet floor. His hazel eyes looked her over, and stayed on her ass. God, even that was sexier than it used to be!

The brunette kneeled down in front of him with a first-aid kit beside her. It wasn't a normal, human kind. It was something her Emissary created for her. A mix of herbs that helped heal, in case one of her betas were injured before Charlene could get there from Augusta. His breath caught when she braced herself with one hand on his thigh.

"Take off your shirt." She mumbled. He felt his stomach fist up at her words. The memory of the first time they made love flashed through his head. _Derek, take off your pants._ Her face flushed and it was evident she was thinking of the same thing. Her perfect white teeth closed on her bottom lip as he stripped the shirt. Hell, if Emily asked him to jump off a cliff he'd do it as long as it made her happy.

Her breath caught as she looked at him. Holy. Freaking. Hell. His physique improved over six years...like a lot. The ridges in his taut abdomen were much deeper and tighter than before. Emily bit down on her tongue at the urge to shove him back to the bed and lick the muscles.

"Let me guess, blueish gray blade with a black handle?" She asked, focusing on the deep cut. He nodded slowly. She pressed her lips into a hard line and dipped her fingers into a salve that would clean out the wound and keep the monkshood from seeping into his bloodstream, dragging it over his cut. Both their breathing slowed, mingling together. His nose was brushing hers, eyes closed. She was touching him. It felt so fucking amazing, he fought back a groan.

"Lie back. This is difficult with you sitting up." She murmured again, heart racing against her chest. Her palm splayed out across his sternum and pushed the slightly shocked Alpha back. Her mattress shaped beneath his back. He gasped when she moved until she was straddling his thighs, innocently as she cut a gauze squared out to press it across his cold, wet skin, and taped it down. He groaned in protest when she rolled off and backed away from him. _Don't walk away from me._ He thought.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Of course. Now, go to sleep. You'll heal faster."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"My couch." she whispered. He lunged forward to grip her wrists and tugged her to stand at the edge of the bed.

"I know you're angry. I know you must hate me right now, but please sleep next to me? I don't want to be alone in a house full of betas that hate me." He whispered, reaching up to brush her messy wet hair over her shoulder and skimming his nose across her collarbone temptingly.


	11. Chapter 11

Her eyes closed at the motion, hands fisted at her sides at the sensation of his nose dragged across the bone. Emily's palm twitched to fist her fingers in his hair and turn his head to kiss her neck. It used to feel _so good_ when he did that. But she didn't. She moved out of Derek's reach, facing the window and running her hand through her hair as she let out a shuddering breath. This wasn't fair—the way he still affected her.

"I'm sorry. I'll be good." He murmured, clasping his hands together and setting them in his lap, "I won't touch you unless you want me to."

"That's the problem. I _**do**_ want you to touch me." She mumbled, still facing away from him. Derek swallowed heavily at her words, pushing himself into a painful standing position and limping across the room until he reached her and spun her to face him. They were inches apart.

"Why? Why is it so wrong for you to want your _**mate**_ to touch you?" He whispered, his chest brushing hers. It was the same thing Anglen the Hunter had done but it didn't feel like this. No-one felt like Derek. She'd had four one-night stands her first two weeks here and it was nothing. The sex was horrible, not intense like it was with Derek.

"Because you broke my heart." She whispered, looking up at him with wet eyes. Trying not to cry. Derek felt like he'd been decked in the stomach; all the wind knocked out of him. Oh, God. He made her feel this horrible.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. Baby, I-"

"Don't call me baby." She snarled, "I'm not your baby, and I'm not interested in why you didn't come see me. Just shut up and go to sleep, Derek."

"Emily-"

"Derek." She growled lowly, "Either get back in bed or I'm going to force you. You don't want me to do that because it will hurt and I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not going to bed until you promise you're sleeping in here with me." He growled, arms crossed over his broad chest.

"God, you're still so fucking stubborn!" Emily shouted in his face, "Fine! I'll sleep in the fucking bed with you, happy?"

Ignoring the way his cock twitched when she used the word 'fucking' twice in less than a minute, he made his way back to her now damp bed—from both their wet clothing.

"The bed's wet." He cleared his throat.

"Just take the comforter off and wait here for a sec, I'll get you some dry clothes to wear." She half-scampered out of her own room in her haste to get away from him. Devon knowingly stood halfway down the hallway with a pair of dark grey sweats and a tee shirt, with an unopened package of boxers.

"Do you still love him, Em?" He murmurs, keeping his green eyes locked with hers.

"D-Don't ask me that, Dev." She stuttered her response out. Derek cursed and threw the blanket across the room with slightly more force than necessary. He knew it was going to be difficult to get her back, but this…this was going to be even harder than he expected. She shied away whenever he touched her. He hadn't realized she came in until he heard her accidentally drop the clothes. Her eyes were trained on the tattoo between his shoulders. That was sexy-as-hell.

"That's, uh…Your tattoo is new." She grumbled as she picked up the fabric from the floor. He smirked at her, moving closer to her until he was close to her again.

"I got it right after the fire." Derek whispered, cupping her neck with one hand and massaging her neck, just beneath her jawline. It was a sweet spot for her; he knew that. It was right where he could suck and kiss to make her body writhe. He remembered that. She moaned and thrusted the fabric into his hands.

"There's something for you to change into." Her hair whipped his face as she spun around and then crawled into her bed underneath the covers. She pretended not to be watching him when he unbuttoned his jeans and let them drop to the floor. Emily's stomach churned when Derek stripped his boxers as well. Her eyes followed the line of his body, tracing and memorizing how much he'd changed. Heartbreakingly gorgeous, still. Derek could feel her eyes on him and he felt his heart skip a beat. It was drowned out by how loud hers was. She was slightly embarrassed that her first thought was his fine ass was still perfect. Why was she embarrassed by that? It's not like she was little miss virginity. The thief _of_ her virginity was the man she was objectifying.

He dressed slowly, his heart pounding in his chest as he let her watch him. She shifted around until she was lying on her stomach; the way she'd always slept. When he tried to put on the tee shirt, the small weight was extremely painful where the gauze covered. He decided to forgo a shirt and slipped underneath the covers. Her body heat radiated throughout the entire bed, assaulting his senses. It took every single ounce of his strength not to roll her over and slide her underneath him. She'd changed before he could get a good look at her.

"Goodnight, Em." He whispered as he rolled onto his side—facing away from her. He figured she'd want that. She rolled onto her side, facing the same direction as him and examining the tattoo up close.

"G'night, Der." She breathed, letting it wash over his back. He shivered, gasping as her fingertips traced the triskele curiously. She bit her bottom lip roughly; his skin was so soft. Still. Her eyes closed as she kept her hand rested between the blades of his shoulders. Derek could feel her breathing steady as Emily fell asleep behind him. When her muscles relaxed, her forehead fell forward to rest just above her hand. He grinned.

* * *

When Derek woke up the next morning their legs were entangled, her head was rested over his heart, and her palms were on the muscles of his stomach. He tilted his head just enough to hide his nose into her hair. Silently, he inhaled her scent. He could smell the other wolves on her and it sent a jealous wave through him. His. She was his, she wasn't supposed to smell like anyone else. She sighed his name and he thought she was waking up. No. The opposite. She let out another sigh and her hips ground into his. She was having a sex dream about him. He'd dreamed about making love to her all night. His body was drawn to her in sleep, but it didn't take over the way hers was.

He slid one hand down to grip onto one of her hipbones as she relentlessly moved harder. Derek didn't know if he could handle her little hips grinding on him for much longer without ruining these new clothes. Derek tried to stop Emily's grinding, and she ignored the pressure of his hands. He groaned.

"Derek, please." She begged him, reaching for his hand and pulling it down between her legs. Derek growled as his palm pressed against Emily's heat, "Help me," She was desperate, and horny, and going out of her mind. Even Derek's fingers felt much better than anything she could dream up, and she knew that. Her body remembered things like that.

Emily was angry. He knew that, she knew that. He knew this didn't mean she'd forgiven him. It just meant her body still craved his the way he craved hers. Her legs stayed tangled with his as he rolled on top of her and tried to kiss her. She turned her head away from his lips.

"Not on the mouth. Not right now." She panted. He understood. Kissing him was intimate to her. So, Derek started kissing her neck while his fingers tugged her flannel pajama pants down, pushed her panties aside, before they slid into her. She moaned loudly at the action. Her hips bucked with every move of his fingers. She needed this. The other men she'd slept with in Tiffany didn't get her off.

"Oh, God, Derek!" She groaned, arching her hips into his hand again. Derek's lips were sucking hungrily at her neck before he pulled back slightly to move lower down her body—underneath the covers. Her eyes were closed and she didn't realize what was happening until she felt his mouth _down there_. That was all it took, her fingers fisted on the sheets as she arched off the bed and cried out his name. He got a washcloth from her bathroom and cleaned her off. She sat up. Her face wasn't relaxed, at all. It was sad, as if she were on the verge of crying.

"I'm so sorry, that shouldn't have happened. I don't know what came over me." She stuttered out before grabbing a pair of panties, shorts and a tee shirt and sprinting into her bathroom and slamming the door and lock shut. Her back pressed against the door as she slid down.

After promising herself that Derek wasn't going to get back into her heart, Emily let that happen—begged for it. He groaned and collapsed on his side of the bed, face in his hands. Why was she feeling so guilty that she wanted him to touch her? Derek was so damn confused…and hard as a freaking rock from watching her fall apart because of his fingers and his mouth.

"Emily, please?" He whispered, standing up and setting his hand on the door, "Don't be mad. It's normal for mates to do that with each-other."

"I don't want to want you like that!" She shouted through the wooden door.

"I know. I'm sorry. Em, I'll leave if that's what you really want."

"It isn't. That's what pisses me off." Emily sighed from her side, ass on the cold tile.

"Then I'll sleep on the floor from now on." He said, mirroring her on the hardwood floor of her bedroom.

"No. That's not going to stop those dreams."

He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at the words. The shower water turned on and he jumped when she swung open the door.

"Get your ass in here."

"What?"

"It's not like you haven't seen me naked before. My Pack is going out drinking in a couple hours and you have to come with us if they're going to believe you're in my Pack. Derek, you have to smell like me or I'm going to be fighting off females with a stick. Dev left more clothes outside the door." She murmured, taking his hands and pulling him in. Her bathroom was freaking huge. It was a two-person sized shower with two heads. Oh. That's why she wasn't concerned about his presence in her shower. She wouldn't have to come anywhere near him.

He stripped and she tugged the gauze off to examine the cut.

"It's healing." She said, smiling up at him.

"Good." He whispered, trying not to let his body react to her. Willing it not to. If she saw it, she didn't say anything. She got in to her side of the shower and Derek in his. He wouldn't lie if asked. He looked at her. Hell, he thought she'd been gone for six years. Wouldn't you? His eyes followed the line of her too-thin back, watching the curves and dips of her body that matured while she was gone. His mouth watered. Emily was his. She could push him away all she wanted, but her body belonged to him. All of her belonged to him. He smirked.

"Stop staring at me." She snapped without looking. Emily was trying not to smile. She _loved_ the way Derek was looking at her, as if he felt guilty mixed with a wild possessiveness.

"I think it's only fair, since you got a strip show last night." He replied. Her eyes went wide and she turned around, covering her chest.

"You knew I was watching?"

"Emily, I know you better than _you_ do. Why do you think it took me 20 minutes to change?"

"Derek…" She thought of what to say before she found something, "Sweetheart, I knew you had a nice ass, you didn't have to show it off." He froze, just staring blankly at her lips. It was the same thing she said just before she pinned him to the bed that first night after Talia bit her. She cleared her throat and reached up to wash her hair. Her heart nearly stopped as long fingers took her place, massaging it into her hair himself. Her eyes closed as Derek washed her hair.

"I'm going to make you trust me again, Em. I want to show you that I still want you." He said in her ear. Her breath caught when he leaned in and kissed her bare shoulder before he made his way back to his side of the small tile shower. She followed him and tugged his head down to her level.

"My turn." She growled, squirting her shampoo into her hand and kneading it into Derek's scalp and hair. He groaned, letting her rinse it out as well. This was the single most erotic innocent thing he'd ever had happen to him. This wasn't sexual but his heart was pounding out of control.

She wasn't ashamed of her body, not anymore. Emily knew that, at least to him, she was beautiful. Even if he didn't love her, he still thought she was beautiful. This was her logic. Her confidence was making him want her even more.

He felt her wet skin brush across his as she moved behind him. What was she doing? Emily went on her tiptoes and kissed his tattoo—covering every inch of it. After that, they stayed on their own sides of the shower. He wrapped the towel around her body and her head the second they got out and the cold Georgia air struck them both.

"Thank you."

"Of course, _belle jeune fille_." He told her, kissing the bridge of her nose as he threw the towel around his hips. A droplet of water ran down his sternum and she found herself wanting to lick it off. What was her sudden obsession with wanting to lick his abdomen? How freaking wolf-like that was!

* * *

She got dressed in her clubbing outfit in one of the girls' rooms. She dutch waterfall braided her long hair and examined herself in the mirror. Holy. Shit. She loved this outfit. It was a sweetheart-neckline corset, sapphire blue and sequined, with a leather peplum-style thing on the front and black leather short-shorts.

"You are so freaking hot, Em! It's not fair!" Whined the youngest of the adult betas—Lucy. She was a nineteen year old with a six year old named Ruby. Both were her betas.

"Thanks, Luce. Are you sure you can handle the teenagers and two little kids tonight?"

"Oh, definitely. I wouldn't be able to drink if I went out with ya'll. You go have fun, darlin'. Oh, and Em? Derek won't be able to keep his eyes off of you."

Emily didn't have a doubt in her mind that Lucy was putting it mildly.


	12. Chapter 12

_It devours you inside. It makes you laugh and cry all day. And makes you do anything. Any time. Any place._

-Dianna Agron as Belle Blake in** "The Family".**

* * *

Derek realized rather quickly that all of the betas really did hate him. They were fiercely loyal to their Alpha, more than Boyd, Erica, and Isaac were to him. He pursed his lips as he put on the black tee shirt that clung to his abdomen. This wasn't comfortable. At all. Every divot of muscle was visible underneath thin fabric. He shrugged as he did up the belt on his jeans—which Emily washed the night before for him.

He was alone, because the betas avoided him like the plague. Emily left her bedroom earlier, to get ready. Derek's stomach jumped as she twisted the handle and slipped back into the room. His jaw fell slack when she came in. He wanted nothing more than to be an animal: shove her up against the door, bury himself inside of her, and pound until she forgot her own name. The thing she called clothes was short and showed her shoulders and collarbones. It left little to the imagination.

"Em-Emily, you look amazing." He managed to force the words to string together. She smiled, walking until they're only centimeters apart. Derek closed his eyes as Emily's arms looped around his shoulders.

"You still don't smell enough like me." She said, turning her head to skim her nose along the strong curve of his neck until she got brave. Her lips and tongue moved along the skin instead of her nose and his breathing turned hard. Emily felt his hands gripping her hips vice-like. Her wolf was taking over. Her wolf that didn't base things on emotion, that wanted him still. Always would.

"S-Stop." He whimpered. She leaned back, eyes burning red as she stared up at him. The heels made her taller and it reminded him of prom. Except he was taller now—the top of her head only reached his nose.

"Why do you want me to stop?" Her voice was seductive, trying to bring out her mate's wolf.

"Because if you don't I'm going to throw you up against the wall and have my way with you." He growled, his bloody eyes meeting hers. Her breath caught. Was the temperature going up?

"Maybe I want that." She replied, her fingers caressing the inside of his forearm. Her eyes looked up at him through thick lashes. Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth. Derek leaned in until his soft lips touched her ear.

"I'm not going to fuck you because you're feeling possessive." A shiver rolled through her body at the vulgar words, her finger now gripping his arm with a vice. He mouthed over the skin of her neck, along the neckline of her corset. Goosebumps covered every inch of skin visible and Derek smirked up at her before pulling away from her body. Her eyes were hooded as she looked at him.

"You are such a dick." She growled, crossing her arms. It made her cleavage grow even more. His eyes went wide at the action.

"I know." He sighed, reaching down and lacing their fingers together. She willingly let him hold her hand as she led him down the stairs to where the others stood waiting.

Derek counted. 6. She had six betas _just_ over 21. The living room was scattered with others, as young as his Betas. He counted them as well. There were 3 teenagers, one child, and a barely-adult. There were 12 in her pack? He'd never seen a Pack with so many be so tight-knit. It was incredible. He heard his mate snarl at one of the female betas. He realized that the girl's eyes were moving across his body and Emily was defending her place as his mate.

The dark-haired man snaked his arms around her waist, hauling her back against his chest. It was defending his place to the male betas, specifically Devon. He hated him already. The way that he looked at Emily made him uneasy. She relaxed into him, despite what her mind wanted. What the human part of her was screaming. It was buried by this confident, sexy wolf. Derek wasn't protesting, either. It proved she hadn't let go yet.

"C'mon. We're going in to Augusta, so we'll be about an hour out. Lucy, you call me if anything happens. I mean it. If there's any threat, you take them into the tunnels and get them to safety." She growled in her alpha voice. Lucy, the young adult, bent her head submissively.

"Yes, Emily." And they were out the door. Derek froze when he saw her car. A sleek black 2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid was sitting in front of her. She smirked over her shoulder at him, the keys dangling from her fingers.

"Like it?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." He murmured, pecking her on the cheek. He climbed into the passenger seat and watched her climb in.

* * *

She was almost drunk. It took a hell of a lot to get a werewolf drunk, and even more to keep one drunk. Emily was _trying_ to drink herself into oblivion as she stared over at Derek. He hadn't interacted with anyone, just drank and kept sending her glances that made her have to rub her thighs together. The brunette took one of her friends' hands and led the girls onto the dancefloor—the throng of moving bodies that were moving in a way that looked more like mating than dancing. Glancing at him to make sure he was watching, she wrapped her arms around one girl's shoulders and pressed against her. His eyebrows raised as he watched the girl he loved grind on her Beta. He bit his bottom lip, remembering her grinding against him this morning in bed. One of the others, knowing what Emily was up to, came up behind her and joined in their grinding. Two bodies were flat against her, moving in slow sensual circles that had every man in the room's eyes entranced. All of this, for Derek. Because she was trying to push him over the edge.

Lia lowered her head and kissed Emily's shoulder once, and Derek had enough. He downed a shot of tequila for courage before he made his way onto the floor, grabbed her forearm to pull her away from the other two. She immediately turned her back to him and circled her hips in the same sensual motion as before. He wrapped both arms around her body, too low to be chaste as he followed her grinding, his mouth attaching to her sweet spot and sucking on it as they dirty danced. Emily could feel Derek's hard reaction against her lower-back.

"Does this feel good, Derek?" She asked, her voice two octaves lower than normal, "Do I feel good, baby?"

"Does this?" He shot back, his hands caressing her sides and brushing against the sides of her breasts. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder, moving with more force. Derek scraped his teeth against her neck, "I asked you a question, Emily."

"Y-Yes. That feels good."

He grinned, watching as she slowly edged back toward being sober. She didn't stop dancing with him when she did finally sober up. She didn't stop when he kissed across her shoulder, licking her collarbone and then moving back across her shoulder-blades until he could repeat it on the other side. Devon glared. So did the others. Derek was making her more instinctive, less focused on her Pack. They didn't like that. At a high blaring in the background music of a song, she flinched.

"Outside?" Derek shouted, loud enough for her to hear. She nodded and he took her out the side-entrance. She was giggling, intoxicated on the emotions of others and adrenaline. Her arms snaked around his shoulders, standing in an embrace with him.

"Having fun?" He asked, hands laced together at the small of her back. The fabric was coarse and rough, not like the heavenly soft skin he knew was beneath.

"Yeah. This sexy Alpha keeps grinding against me in a way that makes me want to jump his bones. And I know he wants it too, because I can feel his huge, hard dick every time he moves." She replied bluntly. Derek growled, backing her against the hard brick

"You-You can't just say things like…like that and expect me not to…" He panted, searching for words.

"Not to what?"

"Not to want to be with you, Em." He replied, "Yeah, I want to take you home now and make love to you until you can't walk, but it isn't the only thing I want. You. In my life more than just screwing."

"If you wanted that, why didn't you come to the hospital?"

"Emi-"

"EMILY!" A female voice interrupted from the landing above them. She ducked out of his arms and ran until she reached the other.

"What? What is it?"

"I had your purse. Lucy just called me."

"What happened?"

"Ruby. The Alphas…they found us. She attacked them. Emily, she shifted for the first time and-and…"

"Breathe, Helen. Talk to me. And what?"

"She's ripped up real bad. We have to get home. Luce said she ain't healing, Em." Derek was right behind her, following them hurriedly up the steps. He knew how losing a pack felt. This wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

Ruby, seven years old, was curled up in her bed, her entire abdomen wrapped in gauze. Her face was gaunt and pale, sweat covering every inch of her body. Her Alpha sat down at her bedside and took the small hand in hers to take pain away. Black snaked up her veins, up her neck, causing her eyes to flash gold before Emily released her hand in pain. She lifted the blankets and the young Beta's shirt to unwrap the gauze.

She wanted to puke. Large, ugly scratches were covering every inch of her torso. Most her blood was gone and she wasn't healing. Ruby sat up, leaned over the side of the bed and puking. Black spewed from her lips and Emily's heartbeat sped up.

"No. No no no." She whimpered, looking at Derek. Ruby was dying.

"There's nothing you can do for her," Charlene said from the door. The Emissary was strong and obvious in her powerful, "All you can do is end it."

Emily covered her mouth with one hand as she tried not to cry.

"S'okay, Emmy." The young girl whispered. She leaned forward and laid her head across her beta's stomach. Tiny fingers stroked her hair, "Emmy, I'll go to heaven. I just want my mommy to hold me until I go."

She sniffled, but nodded to Devon who promptly took Lucy by the hand and led her into her daughter's room. She took sight of Emily's tear-stricken face, and her daughter's appearance, and burst into tears. The southern mother slid in behind her daughter and kissed the top of her head. Everyone left the room, including Derek. While the others disappeared into their rooms to mourn, he waited. He wanted to comfort her after this.

Emily took a deep breath before extending her claws, and sunk them into Ruby's chest, stopping her heart as blood covered her fingers and claws. When it was over, she jumped away from the body and sprinted out of the room, heart shattered. Derek opened his arms and she threw herself into them, arms and legs around him as she sobbed into his chest.

"C'mon," He carried her into her bedroom and walked her into the bathroom. Derek sat her on the toilet and reached for a washcloth from underneath the sink. The blood from Ruby's body had coated her entire arm. He extended it and washed the coppery liquid off, slowly as he did so. She sniffled, but relaxed gradually at the affectionate gesture. He kept wiping it off, even washing it out of her claws. His eyes never left hers. When he finished, he reached behind her to unzip her top. Emily allowed him to take off her shirt, also covered in blood, and pull the leather shorts down her long legs. He tossed them into her hamper and bent down to lift her—bridal style—and carried her back into her room.

He laid her down as he turned away to get her something from her closet to find a rack of clothing for him, and he took one of the tee shirts with panties he didn't pay attention to. He once again kept his hazel eyes locked with gray as he took off her strapless bra and panties, pushing the olive green shirt down her body and sliding the underwear up her legs. He threw on a pair of loose sweatpants and stripped his shirt as he shut off the lights and took her under the covers.

She cried into him again, curled around him.

"Ssh. I love you. I love you, Emily. This isn't your fault. I love you." He kept cooing in her ear, calming her down. She gripped onto him and nuzzled his chest. Derek wasn't interested in talking, he kept holding her and letting her grieve.

* * *

She lay there, still awake after hours.

"Tell me what you were going to tell me at the club." Emily whispered. Derek took a deep breath before replying.

"I didn't come to the hospital because Laura didn't tell me you were still alive. I thought you were dead for six years—until Stiles told me you woke up."


	13. Chapter 13

_Somebody get me through this nightmare. I can't control myself._

_So, what if you can see the darker side of me? Somebody help me tame this animal I have become._

_Help me believe it's not the real me. Somebody help me tame this animal._

-Three Days Grace, **Animal I've Become.**

* * *

Her breath caught at his words, examining Derek's eyes for any source of a lie. Nothing. He was being honest with her. She felt his hand slide up her arm to rest against her neck, thumb level with her pulse.

"You…really do love me, then?" She asked in a child-like voice. Derek felt her pulse accelerating underneath her skin when he nodded.

"More than you'll ever know." He assured her.

Emily didn't hesitate; she lunged forward on the bed and crashed her soft lips against his. He groaned, one hand gripping the back of her neck while the other fisted in the fabric of the shirt at her lower-back; trying to get closer to her. Her tongue traced his bottom lip wantonly before pushing into his waiting mouth. She moaned when his tongue tangled with hers to fight for dominance. They were both Alphas, dominance was in their nature. She could feel the shift in power that killing Ruby caused. How much stronger she was. He moved his hand up, twisting his long pale fingers into her hair. She slid into his lap, draping her legs over his hips.

His heart stuttered when she did this.

"I love you, Derek. Always have, always will." Emily leaned back to say. His hazel eyes went wide before a slow sexy smile spread across his face and he pulled her back into a fiery kiss. Her fingers slid into his hair this time, tugging passionately. He growled, pushing her onto her back below him and chasing her tongue into her mouth. Her knees parted on either side of his body to allow him to lay above her. The second he tasted the inside of her mouth, he was done for. Lost in this haze she always seemed to put him in. His palm moved up and down the soft flesh of the outside of her thigh, turning his head and pulling the pulse point he'd remembered between his teeth. Sure enough, he sucked and her body writhed under his and arched into him.

"I want you." She whimpered.

"No. No grief sex." He mumbled, pulling her to his chest and leaning up against the headboard. "Come home with me." He added, kissing the crown of her head.

"My Pack…" She started to protest.

"Can follow Devon just as easily as they follow you. I've seen it and so have you. Let him kill an alpha. I want my girl back." Derek growled, tracing her bottom lip with his fingertip.

"I…If you show me the house, and if I'm your equal in your Pack, I will." She replied, flipping them once again and leaving a light dusting of kisses across his chest. Emily loved the fact that Derek didn't have hair on his chest. Chest hair wasn't sexy, at all. Soft, bare, skin was incredible underneath her lips.

"Emily, deal. I just want you in any way I can have you." That was enough for her to be able to fall asleep. She scooted higher up his chest until she was straddling his abdomen and buried her face into his neck; letting his scent surround her. When he pulled the blanket around them, she was drowning in it from every angle. Derek smirked as Emily drifted off to sleep in his arms for the first time in a long time—the way he'd wanted for…2,914 days.

* * *

Derek noticed a change in his mate during that first month after killing Ruby. She'd lose focus in the middle of a conversation, gripping her thigh so tightly and painfully it hurt _him_. Something dark was coming; for her. Something even an Alpha Pack couldn't rival—to him, at least. He was worried about her.

One night, he knew for sure there was something off. She'd been training with Devon when she lashed out suddenly, gripping him by the throat and squeezing with painful pressure.

"Stop, Emily! You're going to kill him." He protested lightly, hands on her hips. She snarled at him with glowing eyes at this, claws against pale flesh. Her heart was pounding out of control. It was like looking at someone else.

Not _his_ Emily.

Derek pressed his lips together before he winced because there was only one way she was going to let go of Devon: he had to break her wrist. Closing his eyes after gliding his hand up her arm to her wrist, his fingers closing around the bone, he twisted. She cried out and the Beta slid to the floor while she whirled around on Derek and slammed her good fist into his jaw. Emily retreated, pouting, into her bedroom with him right behind. The brunette was in just her sports-bra and shorts when he entered. His fingers flicked the lock shut.

"Do you even understand what you almost did down there?" He asked in a flat voice.

"Devon has to learn to _take on_ an Alpha if he's going to be one." She shrugged, sending him a cold glare. He moved behind her until they were pressed tightly together—Derek against her back. He was warm and that didn't help her already sweat coated skin. The anger, darkness, drained out of her body the second his hands rested against bare skin. He grinned when she let herself lean against him.

"Hm, and how do you think you handle taking on an Alpha?" Derek murmured in her ear, dragging his bottom lip along the shell of her ear. She shivered, but responded the way he expected her to:

Her good hand gripped the neck of his shirt as she shoved him up against the wall before she was kissing him. He growled, arms around her waist with hands in her back pockets. Emily moaned as Derek lifted her off of the ground and wrapped her legs around him. He smirked, squeezing her ass roughly as her arms wound around his shoulders. They hadn't kissed like this in a while, much to her frustration.

"Derek, take off my clothes." She breathed as their foreheads pressed together.

"I don't know if-"

"Der. I've been waiting for a month now. If you don't make love to me, you're sleeping on the floor and I'll take care of myself in the shower and make you listen to me." Emily growled, cutting him off. He crashed his lips onto hers obediently, pulled them away from the wall and lowered her to her bed, hovering over her. Her fingers slid into his hair to anchor his face to hers. He groaned, reaching down to unbutton her jeans. She smirked, sliding her hand up under his tee shirt and tugging it over his head to throw it into a chair in the corner.

"I love you." Emily breathed, pecking him several times on the lips, murmuring between kisses.

* * *

After Derek falls asleep, she stands up, possessed by something—someone else in her head.

_Kill all of them. Why wait for the Alphas come to you? You're going to feel so much stronger. You can take their strength._

She walked into Devon's room first, her claws extended. He was sleeping, so he wouldn't feel it.

Her claws sliced through his throat and power surged through her. She did it eleven more times until her body was covered in a mixture of the others' blood. When she came into the room, Derek sat up with wide hazel eyes. _What the hell was going on?_

Emily swayed forward and backward as if feeling faint. He stood up and caught her when her knees gave out.

"Wha-What's happening to me? Derek…What did I do?" She gasped, trembling. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears. He held her against him.

"Baby, I don't know what's happening but we have to get rid of the evidence. We have to go." He said, "You have to torch the house."


	14. Chapter 14

The cops believed their made up alibi that they'd gone out to the woods together in her car to fuck. That was what Emily told them, as did Derek. On the way out of the police station, Derek took his mate's hand in his and laced their fingers together as they walked. Their hands hung loosely between them, some kind of physical link to keep her anchored.

"I'm losing my mind, Derek." She mumbled as he drove. Derek was taking her home, after approving it with the detectives. There wasn't anything to keep her there and Alex had no influence over her choices.

"Emily, you're not. Whatever happened to you, you're not losing your mind. I know you better than _you_ know you." He said, glancing over at her and resting his hand on the soft skin of her thigh. She set her hand on top of his, stroking the back relaxingly. Her eyes were on the horizon as the Alphas sat in silence. They'd been in the car for _hours_. Emily fell asleep with her head against the window. Even in sleep, she was stroking his hand. He pulled into a small town, smaller than Beacon Hills, called Fayetteville, TS. It was what you'd think of when you thought about the countryside. Houses with the white fences and columns and wrap-around porches, bay windows. Things Emily told him she wanted for their house when they were older one night.

_"Where do you want to go for college?" She asked him, as they were entangled underneath the sheets of his bed with her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. He was making shapes on the small of her back, chin on top of her head._

_ "I don't know. Wherever will take me, I guess."_

_ "Derek, you're smart. And talented. You can go wherever you want for school." He smiled at the admiration in her voice._

_ "I want to go wherever you are, Em. Where exactly do you want to go?" Derek said into her hair. She rolled over partly, chin rested on top of her hands on his chest. Emily looked up at him with excited gray eyes._

_ "I've always wanted to move to Tennessee. Chris took me there for a college tour last year. It's beautiful. Besides, I want to raise our kids away from my sister. I don't think it's safe here."_

_ "Our? You want to have kids with me?" He smiled broadly down at her._

_ "As long as all of them look like you." Emily replied, looking up at him with her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. He gripped both her arms to lift her higher up on his chest. She bursted out giggling as his sheet fell away from her bare chest._

_ "Wanna practice making a baby?" He winked at her and she dove in to kiss him._

* * *

He pulled into a small, dinky motel and moved his palm up her shoulder.

"Emily, wake up. Baby, we're at a hotel." Derek whispered, shaking her lightly. Her eyes flashed open, burning red, and she leaned in to kiss him harshly on the lips. He kissed back for a moment before he got out of the car, swung open the door and lifted the smaller girl into his arms. She wrapped both around his shoulders and allowed him to carry her up the stairs and into the room he'd called in previously. He about lost it when she started kissing his neck. Her mouth was open, tongue brushing hotly against the soft skin. Derek's knees trembled and he couldn't get the door open fast enough. The second they were inside the room, he slammed her up against the door, hands moving rapidly across her torso as he bit on her bottom lip. She circled her hips in reaction to him. Emily was overheated, as always around him. She felt like a bitch in heat, and it would make sense. Heat is basically what happens when a dog is ovulating.

"Wait. Derek, wait. My birth control pills…they were in the house."

"I'll pull out, I promise."

"I think I'm in heat." She whispered as he kissed along the curve of her neck, nipping and sucking on the skin.

"You do? When's your period due?"

"Two weeks from now."

"I'll pull out."

She nodded, reaching down and unbuttoning her shirt before throwing it to the ground. He grinned, dragging his stubble against her chest as he kissed down, leaving tiny cuts on her skin with his fangs. The mixture of his stubble and his fangs against her sent sensations rolling through her entire body as she pulled him into a kiss that made his knees actually give in. His body crashed against hers and flattened her against the door, his knees cracking against the metal. Derek's head was _level_ with her chest, now.

"Baby, you okay?" She panted.

"I'm fine." He whispered. Emily lolled her head back when he trailed his kisses lower, continuing his stubble-and-fang kisses downward until he reached the button of her jeans. Derek pulled the button between his teeth and tugged, moving back up and flicking his tongue into her naval.

"Oh, shit!" She gasped loudly, biting the inside of her cheek. His eyes were darker as he looked up at her from her skin, pulling her boots off and setting them with a clatter to the ground. His palms moved up her calves and thighs to unbutton the denim and smoothly tug them down her long legs. His nose skimmed from one hip to the other.

"Derek. Oh, God, Derek." Emily moaned, her hips rolling toward his face. He smirked, using one hand to hold her still. She hissed through her teeth, eyes burning red into his now. His fingers moved up her legs again until he grabbed either side of her panties to tug them off as well. Her bottom half was bared to him and she trembled before she shook off the nerves. His eyes widened when he found himself pressed against the door with his shirt off and her lips attached to his neck and sucking like a vacuum. Derek growled as her hand slid up and down his sweat-sheened skin. When she was satisfied with the nearly black hickie on his throat, she left another behind his jaw. Since she was an Alpha, they would take a few days to heal. The sight of his girlfriend dropping to her knees and undoing his jeans made his heart stop.

"No. I don't…I don't want you to do that." He murmured into the quiet, dark hotel room.

"Why-?"

"Tonight's about you, Emily. When we get back, we can't do this as much. My beta lives with me." He replied, tugging her to her feet and backing her up until he felt the back of her knees hit the bed. Derek pushed on her shoulders and moved with her. He was hovering over her, caressing her jaw with the back of his hand. Her eyes closed contentedly, head leaning back on the hard mattress.

"I love you." He whispered, kicking his jeans the rest of the way off along with his boxers. Derek's palms were splayed out on either side of her head, moving his lips slowly against hers—building the heat by drawing out the movements of their mouths. Her fingers gripped his shoulder-blades as his hips pushed forward—into her. This wasn't fast and frantic, like it had been in Georgia. He wanted to move slow, to show her how grateful he was she was alive and that she forgave him. She moaned, moving her hips at his slow pace to keep up with him. Emily leaned up and skimming her lips against his neck, his jaw, his cheeks, his nose, finally back to his mouth.

"Cum, Em. Please. I need to see you." He said, voice rough as he stared down at her with glowing eyes. Hers were the same deep red shade and knowing that he was making her this way sent a shiver up his spine. Her eyes clenched shut as she cried out underneath him.

"I love you." She murmured, "I will always love you, Derek Hale."

The use of his full name was enough to cause him to rear back, sink his elongated teeth into her shoulder as he came. She followed, for a second time.

* * *

They curled up together under the sheets together.

"I'm scared to sleep." Her voice was child-like.

"Why?"

"What if I wake up and I try to kill you?" She sighed, sitting up and drawing her knees to her chest as she leaned against the headboard, "What if you don't wake up in time to stop me?"

"You won't. I know you won't. You've had plenty of opportunities in the past 8 years to kill me, and you didn't. You could've let your sister kill me that first night we met. You could've killed me at school. You could've killed me all those nights we spent in the woods alone together. After you shifted, you could've. When you woke up, you could've hunted me down and done it. You could've let those Hunters kill me. Emily, you've fought for me. You won't do anything to harm me. The _only_ thing you could do to hurt me is walk out that door and tell me to go to hell." He said. She rolled on top of him and kissed him passionately, only for a few long moments before he moved them onto their sides again. His arms were tight around her waist as he held her close to him.

"Tell me a story." She said, smiling up at him. He smiled in response, widely.

"I could tell you about my beautiful red riding hood again." He responded.

"Or you can tell me about what you and Laura did in New York."

Derek talked for less than ten minutes when Emily fell asleep, her head tucked under his chin. He waited, a long while, before he kissed her forehead and drifted away.

Deucalion smirked over at Kali as he heard the man's steady breathing. She grinned in reply, ushering the small, thin girl forward. She was fair-skinned, couldn't be older than fourteen. She cocked her head to one side as she stared at the window to the two Alphas' bodies entwined.

"Her body hasn't recovered yet. I cannot make her submit to my will until she recovers from the first." Delaney said, "I am sorry, mother."

Kali nodded slowly, kissing the top of her head. In all reality, Delaney wasn't hers. After she killed Julia, Kali took her child. Delaney Baccari was raised by this Pack she loved so much, stronger than her mother. She possessed skills that Emissaries could only dream up. They retired to their hotel room at the end of the building. They'd try again. Soon. Aiden and Ethan, were older mentally than their physical bodies. Mentally, Ethan was around twenty. Aiden was around twenty five. Aiden was the last to head to his room. He wanted her. The thin, fair-skinned Alpha he hadn't gotten out of his head since Duke took interest in her. The true Alpha turned killer. She was feral, like him. She had that spark of power he'd only ever felt inside of himself.

"Aid? You coming?"

"Yeah." He shook it off and followed his younger brother into the room.


	15. Chapter 15

Psychosis:

_A mental disorder characterized by symptoms that indicate impaired contact with reality._

* * *

Derek wasn't just cold. He was freezing as he ran to the car, grabbing the one suitcase they shared from his trunk, and he sprinted up the frigid stairs barefoot. Emily giggled as he chattered his teeth for effect as he came into the room. Seeing her sitting in his shirt and giggling made him forget why exactly they needed to get dressed.

"Are you giggling at me, Ms. Argent?" He teased, stalking toward her like a panther after prey.

"Yes, Mr. Hale, I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Mm, something like…this." He pounced on her, kissing her roughly. Her breathing immediately turned ragged. Derek handed her a box; emergency contraception, a whole package of it. At least fifteen pills.

"What kind of girl do you take me for?" She teased, kissing the underside of his jaw.

"_My_ girl. My girl that I'd love to have my wicked way with all over this hotel room." Derek tempted, his hands gliding up the front of the shirt and played with the skin.

"What about the shower, love? I'm all crusty and gross."

"I think you're beautiful."

"And I think you're trying to get laid."

She slid out from under him and ran from the room, into the small restroom. He growled, opening the door and following his mate. She backed up until her skin met the tile wall and he followed her in until their bodies were pressed together.

* * *

"We have to move, Der. We can't stay here, no matter how much I'd like to." She said as she sat between his legs on the floor with him drying her hair from his place on the bed. He bent down and kissed her hair, protective of her.

"I know. We have 35 more hours until we reach Beacon Hills. So, we'll get to Cheyenne, Wyoming and then continue tomorrow." He planned out carefully, remembering the path he took in that rental car. He'd turned it in the second he made it to Tiffany.

"Alright." She agreed, turning around and moving to sit on his thigh, arms around his neck. Calmly sitting on his lap. Derek snaked both arms around her waist, eyes closed as their noses pressed lightly together.

His phone rang, for the first time in a month.

"What?" He snapped.

"_Isaac's gone._"

"What do you mean 'Isaac's gone'?! You're supposed to be watching him!" Derek shouted, lifting her off of his lap and setting her down on the bed.

"_He said he caught a scent, and he went running. I waited where I was. You know I'm still out of commission to fight."_

"He's 17, he doesn't know how to monitor scents, fucktard!" He ran his hand through his hair, breathing through clenched teeth as he plopped back down on the bed. She moved until she was sitting directly behind him, both arms around his abdomen as her cheek pressed between his shoulders—over his tattoo.

"_It's not my fault his Alpha left! It's Emily's!"_

"Shut the fuck up, Peter. It's not like that. You know how I feel about her. It's your fucking fault I had to go find her. Yours and Laura's." He defended her. She was stiff, angry at the accusation.

"_She's with you, isn't she?"_

"Hi, Peter." She said, weakly, as Derek put it on speakerphone.

"_Hello, Emily."_

She wrinkled her nose at him, turning her head into the hot skin of Derek's shoulders and kissing as much skin as she could get her mouth on. He groaned quietly enough his uncle wouldn't hear it.

"Look, we're on our way home. I'll try to be there as soon as possible. Call me if you hear from Isaac." And Derek hung up the phone, throwing his phone at the wall. It dented the wall, leaving a deep imprint in the plaster. Emily jumped, flinching.

"I'm—I'm sorry." He sighed, running his hand through his dark hair and taking both hands in his and tugging her to her feet. His arms snaked around her waist as he pressed his lips against hers, slowly drawing out the movements to seduce her out of silence. Emily knew what he was doing and defiantly kept her mouth closed without moving her lips. He growled, pushing her back onto the bed and crawling on top of her.

"Moan, damn it!" He grumbled against her throat, "I know you want to." Her hips rolled upward into his as she bit her bottom lip to keep from giving him what he wanted. Derek snarled, hazel eyes dark on hers. They burned red, his fangs growing in his mouth as he stared down at her. She reached up and her hands traced just below those crimson eyes. _Your boyfriend's prettier than you are._ She thought. The negative thoughts about herself were like cold water shooting through her.

"Derek, get off of me." She said, a frown furrowing her brows. He was confused. Did he do something wrong? Emily walked over to the mirror and braided her barely dry blonde hair quickly. She refused to look at him, afraid she'd cry if she did. She wasn't good enough for Derek, and she was starting to realize that.

"Baby, what's going on?" He spun her to face him and caught her chin between his chin and forefinger.

"I'm not good enough for you." She whispered.

"That's complete bullshit. I've wanted you for seven years, Emily. _I'm_ the one that's not good enough. I love you. Every inch of you."

"Why? I'm not…I'm not beautiful, or normal." Her voice was still low.

Delaney's eyes—blue and steely like her mother's—were focused out the window, on her target. The words swirled around in her head, followed by images. She fisted her hand at her side before she triggered it. Emily's anger.

She lost control, again. Her fingers grasped the front of Derek's shirt as she shoved him up against the wall. Her claws sliced through his abdomen, snarling. He grabbed both wrists and clung on to keep her from doing it again.

"Stop! Emily, fight this!"

"I'm trying!"

There was a fireplace at the front center of their hotel room. As another urge to kill him ran through her, she half threw herself onto a chair beside the fireplace, grasped a poker in her hands, raised it above her head, and sunk it into her thigh. It pinned her to the chair as she let out a cry of agony. He winced, wanting to rip it out and crush her to his chest.

"Derek. You need to leave the room. All I want to do right now is _kill you._" She snarled, fisting her hand at her side. He crouched down, gripping the back of her chair as he brought his face close to hers.

"I'm going to show you why you don't want to kill me." Derek whispered, attacking her mouth with a force she'd never felt before. His mouth made rough movements against hers, his tongue pushed through her lips. Her moan caught his attention as her fingers closed around the back of his neck.

Delaney was relentless. She pushed on the girl's anger with more force. Derek cried out when Emily sunk her teeth into his bottom lip painfully. Her fangs ripped through the skin, causing his own blood to flow into his mouth. He yanked back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Why isn't it stopping?!" She screamed, her head in her hands now. Derek reached his fingers around to the back of her neck and sinking his claws in. He forced his memories—the good ones of them together into her head. Her eyes pinched shut as she reigned in the bloodlust. This was worse than a full moon. But, her shoulders rolled back and she shoved the intrusion of the Emissary out of her head.

Delaney physically fell back from her bed and onto the floor. Her head met the wooden floor and she momentarily lost reality, into black.

"Del?" Kali was crouched down beside her, helping her move until her back was pressed against the wall behind her.

"She…She fought me, Mom, she pushed me out. I didn't think that was possible." The fifteen-year-old whispered, "I've never had anyone strong enough to push me out."

Derek pulled his claws carefully out of her neck and turned her head to face him.

"Do you still want to kill me?" He murmured in her ear.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She nodded, tilting her head up to kiss the end of his nose. He relaxed slightly, pulling the poker out of her leg and bending down to kiss over the wound. Emily sighed, tugging him back to her lips and kissing him roughly. Derek laughed, one arm under her knees as he picked her up.

"We need to go. We have 30 more hours of driving until we get home."

"And do we have a home to go to, my alpha?" She teased, pecking his lips as he carried her down the stairs with the suitcase in his free hand.

"Yes, ma'am." He replied respectfully.

"Where?"

"It's a Loft, downtown." Derek's smile broadened when her eyes lit up at the words.

"Wow." Emily squealed when he plopped her down in the passenger seat. Their fingers laced together as he drove along the highway, resting their interlocked hands on her thigh. He sent her a concerned, sideways glance every once in a while.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just worried about you." He replied, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing the back. Her eyes shut as she leaned her head against his strong shoulder, falling asleep instantly.

Derek didn't know what the hell was happening. It was obvious someone…something…was in her head, causing her to do this. Why?

* * *

Peter was waiting outside the Loft the next evening, when they finally reached it. Emily was completely asleep, snoring softly. Derek couldn't bear to wake her up—she looked innocent, not like she'd killed twelve people and attempted to kill him.

"She looks almost the same." Peter hissed as he looked her over, brushing a hair from her face. Derek snapped at him, eyes burning red.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch. Her."

"God, Derek, calm down! I wasn't going to hurt her."

"I don't trust you, especially not with her. How could you lose Isaac? Damn you." He pushed past his uncle and carried Emily into the elevator and went up to his floor, opening the heavy door one-handed, and onto his bed. Her eyes opened slightly when he set her down.

"Mm…Derek? Where are we?"

"We're home, Em. You can go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." He cooed in her ear, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her neck, back to her lips. She moaned quietly, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and tugged him down on top of her. He caught himself and nipped at her lips as he made out with her, grinding his hips down on hers as her tongue slid across his.

"You know, you really should get a curtain or something for your bed, Derek." Peter's lazy voice said from the doorway. Emily inhaled the intruder's scent and she sprung to her feet. Peter. Holy shit! He looked way different. He looked so…old.

To both the Hale men's surprise, she hugged him. Stepped up, wrapped her arms around his abdomen and hugged him. The elder of the two recovered and hugged her back.

"That's for me and this…" She raised her claws and scratched him roughly across the left cheek, "That's for killing my best friend you sick motherfucker."

Derek stepped up behind her and snaked both hands down to rest on her hips, arms around her.

"That's my girl." He teased, kissing her jaw just below her ear. Emily relaxed into the Alpha's touch, eyes closing in reaction to his touch.

"Peter, get out. I'm sure you have your own home. Go." She nodded to the door as her mate started kissing her neck. He backed out and slowly closed the door behind him. Emily wanted to give in, give him something she hadn't yet. She pulled her hair back from her neck and bared her neck further. He froze.

"Are you…_submitting_ to me?" He asked, hazel eyes burning into hers. The blonde nodded, eyes closed, head lowered.

"Em," He breathed, nudging her jaw with his nose gratefully. She really was his.

"What do you want me to do, Derek?"

"Touch me." She obeyed him, running her hands up and down his chest.

"I don't like this. You're not even fighting me a little bit." He growled in her ear. Her gray eyes turned bright, bloody red. Derek bared his neck the same way she'd done for him—drawing her out of submission.

He decided he'd find Isaac tomorrow as her small hands tugged at his clothes.


	16. Chapter 16

_**July 20 2013**_

_It's been a while since I've written. The therapist in Augusta told me I should write whenever I get flashbacks. Bits and pieces of the past six years. The more I'm with him, the more I remember._

_My Derek._

_I don't want to hurt him. The hotel was reason enough for him to leave me. He should. I'm not worth it, if I tear him apart. This darkness inside of me, whatever it is…is stronger than anything I've ever felt before. Like the full moon is harnessed inside of me—makes me want to kill anything and everything in sight. I love him. He's giving me a reason to fight to keep it away. To want to live. After killing Devon and the others, I need that want._

_When the rage and bloodlust hits, there's this voice in my head. She encourages me to do it. I'll never tell him this, or let him read it. The voice belongs to my sister—_

Emily stopped writing as Derek's even breathing stalled and his eyes flashed open. She closed her diary and locked it before sliding it into a desk drawer.

"Baby, what are you doing up?" Her mate whispered, bending down and kissing her shoulder, lingering there. She turned her head to peck him lightly on the lips.

"I couldn't sleep. Flashbacks." Emily whispered, eyes hooded and sleepy on his. Derek's strong arms slid down underneath her to lift her into his arms. A giggle came from the back of her throat at the action, both arms wrapping around his strong shoulders as he slipped out the large glass wall and out onto the balcony. He allowed the Argent to drop down onto the icy cement with bare feet and tuck herself into his side.

"Flashbacks about what?" He murmured, moving behind her and setting his hands on either side of hers as they rested on the bar from the fire escape.

"Prom night," she said sourly, "And the way it ended: me in a coma and our Pack dead."

"Em, I want you to listen to me. You're my world and I'm incapable of not loving you. I can't handle it if I lose you again." He said, quietly, "I was more worried about _you_ being inside my house. When I thought you were gone...It felt worse than the knowledge that my parents were dead. Like I'd had my literal heart ripped out of my chest. Now that I have you...I'm happy for the first time since."

"You're...amazing, Derek. God, I love you." She replied, "Forever and Always." He flashed her a smirk, dragging the cold tip of his nose up and down her jaw, back down to the curve of her neck, peppering kisses over the soft skin. Her head lolled back, eyes fluttering shut as her fingers traced his strong forearm.

"We need to go find Isaac." She mumbled.

"I know. You're just irresistible when you walk around in my clothes." Derek teased, before stepping back and taking both her hands in his as he backed them into the house.

"Where's your shower?"

"Upstairs." He replied. She groaned, looking at the fifteen stairs wearily.

"That's so far _away_." Emily whined, pouting by sticking out her bottom lip. He ducked down, threw her over his shoulder, and sped up the steps and into the bathroom. Her eyes widened as she looked around the area. It was huge upstairs, one bedroom, a bathroom, a large open area.

"Seriously? How can you afford to live here?"

"Life insurance and Social Security from my parents, and Laura." He replied, tugging her into the bathroom and flipping on the water.

She raised her arms willingly above her head to let him pull _his_ shirt over her head and toss it to the floor. Derek leaned in and pressed his open mouth against her neck, swirling his tongue across the skin as he sucked a bruise into her lightly tanned skin. Emily moaned, reaching up and fisting into his hair to keep his head buried into the crook of her neck. His arms wound around her waist to crush the thin, curvy girl against him. The bare skin of his strong arms pressing into hers caused a sensation she lost herself in rolling through her. Emily was letting out little moans and whimpers with every brush of tongue against flesh, her head thrown back to give him better access.

"You are extremely distracting, baby." He murmured, pecking her on the lips as he leaned back.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately, my sexy-as-hell Alpha?" Her eyes burned red into his as she went up on her tiptoes to bite his bottom lip gently. He growled lowly, but unclenched his hands from around her waist and fully pulling away.

"C'mon, we need to go find him." He reminded himself more than her.

She nodded, lacing their long fingers together as she stepped into his shower—his scent surrounding her tightly, all around. A shudder went through her, but she reigned herself in and focused instead on getting clean.

"This is one of his shirts," Derek said, tossing her a soft, white cotton tee shirt. She lifted it to her face, buried her nose into it and inhaled. Isaac smelled nearly as good as Derek, more sharp—like peppermint and fresh rain. She committed the scent to memory before nodding to him and handing it back. Her hair was now tied back away from her angular face as she headed toward the large metal doors to the Loft. Seconds before she stepped out, Peter was standing outside. His eyes traced over her appreciatively. The black sports bra might make her chest look flatter, but it showed the trimmed muscles of her abdomen.

"Lycanthropy suits you, Emily."

"That makes one of us." Her voice was cold as she crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing here, Peter?"

"He's helping look for Isaac. He lost him, it's only right for him to help find him."

"I don't trust him."

"I don't trust you, either."

"You've known me eight years, Peter."

"Eighteen months. You've been out of commission for six and a half. That makes you unaccounted for. My nephew may be screwing you, that doesn't mean I have to trust you with him."

"You can't trust _me?_ Go fuck yourself!" She snarled at his words, lunging forward. Derek stopped Emily by snaking both arms around her chest to restrain her, "You killed Laura! You tried to kill Derek! I wish it was you that died that night, not Talia!"

The last sentence came out with no thought. She blurted it out without thinking. Peter slammed her against the wall beside the door, slapping her hard across the face as he snarled down at her.

"You little bitch."

"GET OFF OF HER!" Derek shouted in his Alpha voice, gripping his Beta by the shoulder and half-throwing him across the Loft before crouching down in front of her defensively, eyes glowing red, fangs elongated, "If you so much as put one finger on my mate again, I'll kill you and this time I'll make sure you stay dead." He tugged her forearm forward to examine the deep marks from where his claws dug in. Peter had nearly touched bone from how far his talons sunk into her fair skin. Derek pressed his lips into a hard line, shooting his uncle a near-murderous look.

"Does it hurt?" He whispered, one hand rested against her neck as his thumb made circles over her pulse point.

"Not very bad. It's…tolerable." She replied gently, trying to ebb his anger, "I started it, it's fine."

"It's not fine. A member of _our _Pack just attacked you. It's anything but fine."

"_Our?_ What, your little bitch is supposed to be my Alpha?"

"Peter, I swear to God—" Derek started toward the other wolf. Emily gripped the back of his neck with long fingers and tugged his head down to hers as she kissed him. He relaxed the second they touched, fingers buried into her hair as he lovingly kissed her back. Her forehead pressed into his when he pulled away, nose skimming across his.

"Stop letting him get to you, OK? What _he_ wants doesn't matter." Her eyes burned crimson as she set her hands on either side of his face. Derek realized rather quickly that she wasn't asking him to calm down. As his Alpha, she was commanding him to back down. He couldn't resist her. He'd submitted to her, and now he was unable to resist orders. Her thumb ran across his cheekbone as a wave of calm rushed over him.

"Oh, shit. You submitted to her? Really, Derek?"

"Peter, shut your mouth. Now." She growled, flashing her eyes at him. He hated the whimper that broke free from his lips at her snide order, "Where's the last place you saw Isaac?"

When they returned to the loft, Emily was soaked. From head-to-toe, somewhat resembling a drowned rat. She turned, slammed her fist into the brick wall hard enough to break all five knuckles, and let out a cry of pain and frustration. _Dammit!_ They couldn't find him. Anywhere. She was waiting to snap. For Kate's voice to slither into her thoughts and pushing her. Pushing her off the cliff she so meticulously stood on. The Argent crossed the room in even strides, her legs protesting when she crouched down and jumped up to a pipe on the opposite side of the Loft. She folded her aching fingers around the cool metal and tugged her entire body weight up until her chin went above the bar. She repeated pull-ups until her mind drifted to rage again, and she then moved to the floor to do pushups.

Derek had never seen her like this. So angry, and so focused on channeling it into something productive. _Why was she so worried about finding a Beta she didn't even know?_

"Em, stop." She didn't listen, just growled and continued furiously working out. He growled, took hold of one hip and flipped her onto her back, pinning her thighs to the floor with his knees and both her arms above her head. His mate's chest heaved, both with shock and the almost violent action and her fury.

"Why is this getting to you so much?"

"I _killed_ my Pack, Der. He's…this Pack is my chance to start over. I keep thinking that if I can just focus on something, I won't lose my mind. Focusing on finding Isaac kept me from thinking about…my betas. About Ruby, and Devon, and Evelyn. All of them. I…I don't want to hurt anyone else." His finger and thumb closed around her chin as he shifted both her wrists into one hand.

"Baby, you're not going to hurt me. Or the others. Even if you don't think about finding him, you won't. I trust you, more than anyone."

"Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe Peter's right and I can't be trusted."

"Stop that. Look at me!" He roared the last two words, causing her to whimper and obey, "You. Are. Not. Crazy. You're the woman I love and I refuse to let you keep treating yourself like shit. I lost you once, I won't lose you again. I know this…this Vet. I think he could help you, help us know what's happening to you. OK? Would you go to him for me?"

She nodded and said, "I'll—I'll do whatever I can to make this stop. For you. I love you."

"Always."

"And forever."


	17. Chapter 17

Present Date**—August 18, 2013**

Emily POV

My legs dangle down over the side of the fire escape as I sit at the edge, watching the streaks of orange start to overtake the darkness from nighttime. My fingers clutch the mug of coffee to my chest to keep warm. This time, it was a nightmare. I think it was one of Derek's memories. Of the night my sister died.

_Derek looked weak, pale and soaked with sweat. An olive-skinned teenage boy moved to help him get out of the metal cuffs that were restraining him, but only managed to get one off before the gate door opened and the teen slipped into a corner to hide himself_. _A hunter clad in all black opened the door walked into the room with a baseball bat in his hand._

_"Ready to have some more fun?" He asked Derek. "To be honest, my knuckles are kind of hurting, so I brought some help." He held up the baseball bat. "But, I'm warning you, I used to play in college." As he swung, my mate caught the side in his freed hand._

_"I brought a little help too," He snarled. While the bald man's beady eyes fixed on the boy in the doorway, he slammed his fist against the hunter's jaw._

_"Scott, help me with this." He said, as he pulled off the electrical attachment that was used to shock him._

_"No." The one called Scott said._

_"I'm not helping you until you tell me how to stop Peter." He said._

_"You really want to talk about this right now?" Derek asked._

_"He's going after Allison and her family. He's going to kill them." My blood ran cold, even in my dreaming state. If I'd been awake…would Peter have killed _**me**_?_

_"So what?"_

_"So tell me how to stop him."_

_"You can't!" Derek tried to get out of the other cuff restraining his left hand, bruising his skin. "I don't know when Kate's coming back so just get me out of this right now! Get me out right now!" He shouted in Scott's face._

_"Promise you'll help me!" Scott replied, brown eyes hardened._

_"You want me to risk my life for your girlfriend? For your stupid, little teenage crush that means absolutely nothing?" Then Derek added the sentence that caused me to wake up and stay awake._

"_You're not in love Scott! You're sixteen years old. You're a child."_

The words keep ringing through my head. He said that, because of me. Because he didn't really love me then? It's morning, now. The sky tinged with pink and golden ridges. Home. This was what the sunrises I loved growing up looked like.

It's been a month, and nothing. No Isaac, anywhere.

Derek's sleeping form rolls over restlessly inside, onto his stomach. His snoring enters my eardrums. The sound, mixed with his heartbeat, is somewhat soothing. My phone lights up in my cardigan pocket and I tugged it out slowly.

1 NEW TEXT MESSAGE.

_Hey, Em. So, you've been home a month and I haven't gotten to see you yet. Breakfast?_

Opening the text, a smile stretches across my face. Stiles.

_Sure. Sunrise Café on Elm and 45__th__? Ten minutes. _I replied, standing up and slipping inaudibly back into the house. I bent down to a blank sheet of paper on his desk, and write a quick note that I'm leaving for breakfast before slipping my favorite pair of jeans on over my spandex shorts, putting on my necklace and walk out of the Loft.

My boots clack against the sidewalk as I make my way down the street to the little diner I used to take him to when his mother would get too sick—to keep him from seeing the blood and puke.

He pulls up to the curb in a god-awful powder blue jeep, the boy from the memory—Scott—in the passenger seat. Both boys climb out: Stiles stumbling, the Beta graceful. The lanky, pale teen throws his arms around me and crushes me to his chest excitedly.

"Emily!"

"Stiles," I smile, pecking him on the cheek before turning to Scott. He smiles at me, offering his hand. I slid my palm into his warm one.

"I'm Emily." I grin.

"Scott McCall." He replies quietly, shaking my hand.

"McCall…Oh! You're the one that dated my niece!" I blurt out before I fully think my words through. He flinches.

"Yeah, that's me." He sighs. I tugged Stiles' arm around my shoulders and we walked into the diner to sit down at the table we always used to take—looking down the empty street.

* * *

"Scott's actually planning on getting a tattoo, if you want to come with…" Stiles trails off, flushing green. I laugh, shaking my head.

"No, I should go see Chris and All—her." I correct myself, "I haven't seen them, either. Hell, I haven't even talked to my brother since I got home. I've been a little preoccupied."

"With what?" Stiles asked bluntly. I licked my lips nervously, scratching the back of my neck. Scott elbows him in the ribs, raising his eyebrows once pointedly.

"What? Oh…OH!" Stilinski's honey eyes widen before he pouts, "Everybody's having a good time but Stiles."  
"Oh, you poor baby. What's wrong, Stiles? Rubbed out one too many?" I tease, snorting. The beta throws his head back and bursts out laughing, clutching his stomach as he does.

"Don't encourage her!" The pale skinned boy narrows his eyes, arms crossed over his chest. Brown eyes met mine and Scott and I both broke into peals of laughter again. I clutch his shoulder for balance as tears blur my vision, as his rests at my lower-back for the same purpose. Stiles didn't deny it. My heart squeezes when I see him standing across the street. Derek's hands are tucked in his pockets, a hard expression on his face, blood red eyes locked on Scott's palm.

"Derek! Derek, wait!" I shout, sprinting after him as he stomps off. He makes it three blocks with long strides before I reach him. My fingers close around his bicep as I stop his motion. He growls, tugging _me_ into the alleyway and shoving me up against rough brick, his hands on my hips.

"I saw you touching him!" My mate shouts in my face.

"Why are you acting like this? He's a _17-Year-Old boy!_" I growl in response, rolling my eyes, "I don't want to fuck Scott, if that's what you think."

"Because he's better than me!" The veins in Derek's neck are raised just beneath the skin with his screaming, "Because he'd be so much better for you than I am!"

I flip us, flattening my body against his hard one and gripping his shoulders.

"Listen to me; I don't want anyone else on this planet—just you. You've never been insecure about me before, why now?"

"You know Alphas can tell when they share memories. I know what you saw this morning. I thought…I thought that I hurt you. That you'd leave because you thought I didn't love you." He's calmed down, "I panicked." He reaches up to rest his calloused palm against my cheek—thumb stroking across the bone.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" I whisper, keeping my eyes locked with his, "I'm _still here_, Derek."

He nods, smiling broadly and showing pearl white teeth as his nose presses into mine as his arms snake around my lower-back and crush me to his chest. My feet dangle down just above the ground.

"Have you told your family we're together yet?"

"I actually haven't spoken to Chris since we got home. So, no. He has no idea."

"Allison is still in France, right?" He asks, running the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip.

"Until tomorrow."

"Do you think your brother's going to shoot me if I go with you to tell him?"

"Probably." I reply honestly. He kisses the end of my nose before linking out fingers together as he leads me toward the apartment—to his Toyota.

"Why are you so determined to tell my brother?"

"Because _when _I marry you, I want the man you respect most in your family's permission."

"What if he says no?"

"Then we'll elope and he can deal with it." My mate shrugs, a mischievous grin on his face, "I want you, for the rest of my life. I want you to have my last name, and I want to make you round with my pups." He flushes at the last part. I grin, pecking him on the lips.

"Not too round. I don't want to look like a whale."

"You could be the size of Free Willy, and you'd still be the sexiest woman on earth." I laugh, climbing into the passenger seat, tugging his hand to my mouth and kissing the back of it.

"You're a lunatic," I sigh. He starts to protest and I cut him off, "But you're _my _lunatic, for the rest of our lives."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I just hit forty reviews on this, so I'm giving you guys a surprise; extra long chappy! ;) Here it goes, lovelies! Shout out to chocolatelover1999 and howling4hale, for being awesome and ALWAYS reviewing. A picture of how I picture Emily, and various things from other stories are on my profile, btw. Warning; DARK CHAPTER, may be a trigger.**

Emily's stomach rolls as they pull up to the Argent home. Derek's thumb rubs across the back of her hand, the soft skin.

"Don't be afraid. Chris loves you." He reminds her, kissing the crown of her head, "Your brother will always love you."

"Yeah, but if he doesn't love _you_, it doesn't matter." He grins at her words, climbing out of the car to swing open the door to his car and wrapped one arm around her waist to lift her out of the car. Her lithe body slides down his as he sets her down, sending a flash of heat through his. She gasps as his palm splays out across her stomach and backs her up against the side of the Toyota. He kisses her languidly, like he'll start a fire if he moves his mouth too fast. Her fingers tangle into the soft hair at the base of his neck as her tongue thrusts forward, teases his, and then retreats back into her own mouth and she steps away completely.

"Let's not give Chris a reason to harm you." Emily murmurs, licking her bottom lip. He nods, gliding his hand around to her opposite hip as they walk toward the entrance to the building, digits interlocked as he held her hand tightly. Derek's heart pounds in his chest as they reach the elevator.

"Calm down. He's not going to do anything to you if I'm standing in front of you. Stay behind me, no matter what." She tilts her head to press her soft lips against the underside of his chin—the stubble scratching against the plump skin. He sighs, moving behind her and gripping both bony hips with his long fingers as the doors slide shut. Derek buries his face into Emily's blonde hair, inhaling her intoxicating scent as he holds her in his arms. This feels almost as good as sex, to him. After thinking of her as dead for so long, any closeness was a comfort.

"Stop sniffing me!" She teases, giggling. He smiles broadly in response, kissing her cheek. The metal doors slot open on the seventeenth floor and his heart beats unevenly once again.

"I love you." She reminds him. Derek stays directly behind his Alpha as the door swings open to her brother's apartment. He looks more haggard than the last time Derek saw him—deep bags beneath light green eyes, hair slightly mussed, hollowness in his cheeks that he remembers having just after the fire.

"Chris," He hears his mate breathe as she threw herself into his arms. Chris hugs his little sister tightly, arms around her and lifting her off the ground. His eyes narrow at Derek over her shoulder, teeth grinding together. _Well, shit._

**DPOV**

Emily backs up when he releases her, back against my chest as we walk through the thin, metal doorframe. Her thin, long fingers slots through mine on her hips and his eyes don't miss the motion. I gulp, my heartbeat changing. _Stop being a pussy!_ I scold myself, tightening my hands on her bony hips—to keep her against me.

"What's _**he**_ doing here?" The hunter snarls in my direction, addressing my mate. A growl catches in my throat at the tone of his voice.

"It's fine, Baby. Stop it." She mumbles over her shoulder before facing him again, "Derek and I have something we want to ask you." I hear her heartbeat speed up after she finishes speaking. I bend down and press my lips against the junction where her neck meets her shoulder, pressing my nose against her jaw. _God, she smells __**incredible**__._ I nudge her jaw in the most wolf-like way I know how, trying to take some of her panic and fear that's drifting from her flesh in waves.

Chris clears his throat, gesturing to his study. I keep my hands on her hips as we walk into the room. I sit down in the smooth, leather chair closest to the door, eyeing the nearest exit. My mate surprises the hell out of me by turning sideways and sitting in my lap. I will myself not to react, but my body betrays me and she sends me a wide-eyed glance over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. It's not something I can control around you." I explain. Emily laughs, leaning in and brushing her lips across my forehead. Like a child.

"Whatever you want, the answer's no." Her brother says, arms crossed. _What the fuck?_

"Chris, you haven't even heard what we have to say!" She protests. I growl, loud enough for him to hear this time.

"Don't. Don't take what happened to _your_ _wife_ on _your_ _sister._ I love her and she just happens to love me as well. I want to marry her. I've asked and she said yes. We both want your blessing." I take a deep breath once I finish. Her small arm wraps around my neck, the soft fabric of the sleeve on her shirt brushes against the back. A groan claws its way out of my chest quietly at the shudder that rolls through me.

"You're the reason she's dead. Why the _fuck_ would you think I'd let you marry my sister? You'll never be my family."

"What are you talking about?" She asks, causing my heart to race. _Dammit! This isn't the way I wanted to tell her._

"Ask Derek."

"Der?" She murmurs, turning back to me. Her endless gray eyes examine mine carefully.

"I…I bit Victoria and she killed herself."

**EMPOV**

My heart stops in my chest.

"You…bit her?" I whisper, "Why?"

"She was attacking Scott. I protected him." I turn back to my brother, quirking an eyebrow.

"It sounds to me like he didn't have another choice. I'm sorry for your loss, but why should I have to be unhappy? Just because YOU are? For once in our lives, can't you just do something for _me_? I love him more than I can even explain. I have for eight years. You told me, when you got married, that you felt like that about Victoria. Please, Chris." I plead with him, feeling Derek's body tense under me, and not in the pleasant way it had when I sat down.

"I don't want to, and I'm not okay with this…but fine. Fine, you have my blessing. _**You**_ do, not him. I'm making that clear to you, Little Sister."

"Thank you." I murmur, standing both of us and keeping Derek's arms around me. He glares at Chris as evenly as Chris does him. I ignore it, hugging my brother from the circle of my mate's arms before lacing our fingers together as we leave. Once we reach the elevator, Derek tugs me into his arms and lifting my body off of the ground to snake his strong arms around me as he spins me around in circles.

"Now will you marry me?" He asks, quietly and turns his head to press his lips against my cheek as he slowly pulls away from me.

"You already knew I'd marry you, even if he didn't give _**me**_his blessing. I guess you'll have to wait to get me round…Won't you, Love?" I tease, biting his bottom lip teasingly. Derek growls quietly, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear before he speaks again. I shudder before he can get a word out.

"That doesn't mean we can't practice _making_ a baby." He growls lowly, his calloused palms sliding up the front of my shirt and roaming across my skin. I moan; it leaves a scorching trail everywhere he touches. He groans when I fist my hand into his hair and pull his face to mine. I've never felt this _need_ for him before. There's no barriers between us, now. I can be with him without worrying about Kate or Gerard, or my brothers ripping him apart. I can _have_ Derek.

His breathing comes out harshly through his nose into our kiss, slamming me up against the elevator wall. I don't hesitate to wrap my legs around him, locking my ankles and grinding my hips against the front of his jeans. He growls, reaching down, unbuttoning my pants and shucking them down to my knees.

"Fuck." He curses when the elevator slows. I drop from his arms and tug the denim back up with supernatural speed, running my hands through my hair in attempt to make it look somewhat normal.

A long, walking cane enters our elevator first before its owner follows. He's blind; eyes milky blue. I rest my cheek over Derek's chest, fearfully. Something about this man makes me nervous. He's built similar to Derek; around 20 years older than us. My mate tugs me closer, hugging me around my shoulders. I hug him back, not wanting to look at the sandy blonde man. His lips touch the top of my head, nose buried into my hair. I feel Derek's fingers kneading my shoulder-blades, trying to comfort me—to take the tension out of my muscles.

"Could one of you help me out? I haven't gotten acclimated to the building yet." The man spoke gruffly, in a British Brogue.

"Sure." Derek mumbles, stepping up to the front of the elevator. Derek allows him to grip his strong shoulder and leads the blind man out. My stomach clenches—something about this man…It sends a tremor of fear through me. He's _not _right. We exit as soon as we can, and the terror leaves. I relax and lean my head against my mate's upper-arm. He pulls out of the parking lot and heads toward home. Our home; the Loft.

His hand rests on my knee, thumbing the bone before it slides higher up—hand curved around my inner-thigh. A moan tears through my chest, tingling my entire body. That need, white-hot desire from the elevator, comes back full-force.

The second he shuts the heavy metal door, I fling myself into his arms. Derek catches me effortlessly, his hands moving up and down my arms, down my sides, stroking the outside of my thighs over the thin fabric. He shoves his face into my throat, open-mouthed kissing the flesh. He rolls his tongue across my neck. A gasp tears through my chest at the action, sinking my teeth into my lower lip.

"I thought you said you wanted to practice baby-making," I pant, "Kissing my neck isn't going to make me round, Der."

"Damn, baby." He groans. I laugh before the mattress shapes underneath me and his warm weight presses into me. He shoves my cardigan off and tugs the tee shirt over my head to throw it to the ground. We're not sweet, this time. This is frantic, desperate for skin. I move my hands and my fingers press into the hot, taut skin covering his deltoids.

"I want you." I breathe against his lips, "Now."

**3****rd**** Person POV**

Delaney sits on a tree branch outside the small, city apartment, watching. Julia—her _surrogate_, as Kali called her—looks a lot like her. The fifteen-year-old reaches up and brushes her own brunette locks as Julia sleeps. It's her and mom's secret; that it's her, alive.

"Scoping out teachers now, since we start school tomorrow?" Aiden's voice says lazily as he scales up the tree and sits beside his Emissary-In-Training on the branch. She laughs, nodding. Perfect excuse. Her head rests against his deltoid muscle, resting one small palm on the inside of his forearm. His 'younger sister'. After a moment longer, she swung herself downward, hanging from the branch by her knees until she could orient herself to flip down gracefully from the tree and land on the balls of her feet.

"Come on, Del. Hop on." He says, bending down and allowing the small druid to jump onto his broad back. His arms snaked under the backs of her thighs as he carries her piggy-back-style back to the penthouse.

"Thanks, Aid." She murmurs sleepily as she makes her way into her bedroom. After she laid down, he turned around and walked to the small, abandoned building where he could hear six heartbeats; three Pack, three Hale Pack. He enjoyed playing with the redhead. She was fierce and fiery. Kali has the weakest one, at the moment—from the beatings that haven't stopped in four weeks. There hasn't been a moment since they took him that there hasn't been someone striking him—pinned to the floor. Ennis pins the large, dark-skinned one to the opposing wall. Ethan has his foot over Cora's windpipe.

"My turn, brother." Aiden whispers, clapping his twin on the shoulder. The weaker one hesitates, but steps back. He bends down and throws her over his shoulder and takes her into the back-up vault Beacon First had set up. His mouth crushed against hers as he backed her into a wall. This is the fun part, for him. The sexual gratification he got from forcing himself on her. Cora Hale was in hell; she knew he liked it when she fought, but if she refused to fight and give him that sick gratification, they hurt Isaac. Or Boyd. It was no secret that Cora took Isaac's pain in the few moments they weren't in the room. She was falling in love with the porcelain-skinned, blue-eyed Beta. And he was falling deeply in love with her.

She closed her eyes as Aiden ripped her shirt over her head and then her pants. She listened to the beating of Isaac's heart and half-heartedly shoved at Aiden's hands. He pushed his hips into her, assaulting her body once again.

Isaac hated hearing her cry out in pain.


End file.
